


The Thrill of a Lifetime

by knaps_docx



Series: The Fine Diner [1]
Category: Free!
Genre: Action & Romance, Blood and Gore, Fluffy yet Fucked Up, Future Fish AU (kind of), Happy Ending, M/M, Murder, Murder Mystery, Partially Illustrated, Plot Twists, Serial Cannibal, Sex, don't let the warnings scare you, it only goes downhill from here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-06
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-04-18 23:43:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 30
Words: 83,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14224410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knaps_docx/pseuds/knaps_docx
Summary: He could hear people around him yelling orders, the cart’s wheels scraping against the tiled floor. With every jostle, his whole body felt the aftermath like being at the epicenter of an earthquake. The lights were too bright and the noises too loud.One voice seemed to cut through the fog, “Hang in there, Rin!”He tried to say his partner’s name, but only a few grunts sputtered through his lips. How did he even get into this predicament? His mind went black for a few seconds as he heard a scream. Was that horrid noise his own voice? The bright lights of the hospital sliced back into his mind pulling him from the imminent darkness.It was a chase. Sousuke had stopped the patrol car on the side of the road near the cliff that bordered the ocean. Something happened then, but Rin couldn’t remember. Another wave of pain caused his surroundings to slip into the darkness again.For some god-forsaken reason a memory flashed through his mind before losing consciousness; the sight of the dark haired man that pulled him from the suffocating, salty waters of the ocean. Those brilliant blue eyes. And the feeling of scales as his limp body was pulled onto the shore to safety.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I told myself that 2018 would be the year I stepped out of my comfort zone. Since I've been meaning to contribute a Free! fic to the universe, I've decided to make this a starting point.
> 
> You've been warned. There are only so many active warnings I can put on this thing without ruining the surprises heading your way. The first few chapters are nice and cute but as the tag says...
> 
>  
> 
> It only goes downhill from here.
> 
> EDIT: So I decided I was going to wreck my life even more and add my own art to my work! Each picture is a scene from the chapter I've roughly sketched out. I'm making no promises they'll always be there, but I'll do my best to get them all drawn by the time I'm ready to post the newest chapter!!!
> 
> Thanks for reading!

“It wasn’t a dream, dammit,” Rin spat as he crossed his muscular arms over his chest. The hospital scene was getting old and the cloth gown that the nurse refused to remove was more than unpleasant. Sousuke lounged in the brown vinyl chair next to his bed with a small smile on the corner of his lips. Other than his partner, the constant beeping of the machine he was connected to kept him company. His IV line started to pull awkwardly as he shifted his position in the uncomfortable bed. “I swear that’s what I saw.”

“A merman?” Sousuke’s voice was flat, monotonous. It was obvious he wasn’t convinced on his partner’s tale of how he miraculously survived his fall.

Rin’s eyebrows pursed causing wrinkles to appear across his forehead. He clicked his tongue in protest because hearing his best friend say it aloud made it harder to believe his own memories. Subconsciously, he began to scratch at the bandages that tightly wound their way around his head. The red headed cop was starting to doubt his own mind.

Watching his friend react, Sousuke added, “Are you sure your bandages aren’t wrapped too tight?”

“I know what I saw!” Rin snapped, turning his head away from the teal eyes of his friend. He sighed, knowing how far fetched his story seemed. “You pulled the car over because our assailants started fleeing on foot. We followed diligently.”

“And we caught up,” Sousuke added knowing full well that Rin hadn’t hit his head this early into the story. “Yeah, yeah. I know that. The one thief attacked you, and you somehow lost your footing on the cliff.”

“He kicked my foot out from underneath me,” Rin growled under his breath. He hated admitting defeat in such a piss-poor way. If he was going to be defeated by the likes of a low level thief then at least make it more dramatic. “I remember falling off the side of the cliff, hitting my head on the protruding rocks, and plummeting into the cold ocean water.”

Silence spread between the two partners as their gaze met. It had gone without saying for too long now. Sousuke was extremely worried that his partner lost his life in that fall. If hitting his head didn’t cause Rin to drown, then the hypothermia certainly should’ve ended his life. They searched for hours before finding him sprawled on the beach. His head was bleeding something horrible, but other than that, he was untouched and more than alive. Rin astonishingly survived and no one had any answers. They took him straight to the hospital. Aside from the gash and a bad concussion, he would be ready to leave by the next day.

Sousuke couldn’t explain the reasoning behind his friend’s luck, but he was damn sure the bullshit he was spilling was completely off the wall. He would never believe his story no matter how much he trusted Rin. It was impossible. “And you were saved by a merman,” he said just as dully as before.

Rin’s fingers tightened into a fist, his knuckled bleaching white with the lack of blood. He dropped his head, hair falling into his eyes. The memory was so strong since he regained consciousness. “He had dark hair and the deepest blue eyes…”

Sousuke teased, “If I didn’t know you better, I’d think you’ve fallen in love.”

The hospitalized man’s face blushed, but it was hidden behind his maroon locks. He wasn’t sure how he felt about his rescuer, love or otherwise. He didn’t even know if he existed. Something about him seemed too familiar though. He concluded it had to be the eyes. Rin couldn’t easily forget eyes so immensely striking as his savior’s. But where could he have possibly seen them before? “I remember feeling scales, Sousuke. It was such a strange sensation there is no way I could’ve just imagined it.”

His friend sighed, “You were under a lot of stress that night. Not only did you hit your head pretty hard, but those thugs we chased had ties with _him_.”

 _Him…_ Rin’s stomach began twisting causing what little he ate of his lunch earlier to bubble back up. He didn’t think he could clench his fists any tighter as his anger began to grow. The precinct had their suspicions that the two low level thieves they tracked might have ties to their most wanted criminal: The Fine Diner. It was news to him that they did indeed have connections. Their department must’ve interrogated the man they managed to catch that night.

“I should’ve told you sooner,” Sousuke apologized, stretching out his still body. “Even though one got away, they’re thinking they could use this lead to finally get a little closer to him.”

Rin continued to kick himself. By allowing the thief to overcome him physically, he allowed him to get away as well. It was a major loss. Sousuke understood this, which was why he didn’t say much about how Rin was so easily defeated. If they could’ve caught both guys, it would be double the information. The chances of them finding a lead that wasn’t already cold would be exponentially higher. He was sure the thief already informed his contact about his partner’s arrest and they would be making moves to hide The Fine Diner’s trail once again. This cat and mouse chase was always like this. They would get a breakthrough but a minor hiccup would cause them to lose the upper hand. Sometimes it felt like they were chasing a ghost, a crazy, psychopathic ghost.

Just how many bodies have piled up over the years? How many people had this one man stalked, played with, killed, and eaten? When would this nightmare end? It had been five years since their precinct took on this case. It started as a simple string of murders, until they began to undercover the connections. Serial killer was a strange word to be whispering about in the small community they resided in. The citizens began to worry. Would it be their kids next? About three months into the investigation things started to change. The type of people he chose as targets completely flipped. Instead of young women, he began attacking younger men, particularly fit and muscular men. That’s when they started noticing missing body parts. A leg here, an arm there, it was always something different.

Another three months and his string of attacks changed once more. They began noticing more teeth marks on the meatier parts of the body, more muscles missing. A few diagnostics were run that gave light to a new habit. A positive yes was given to the questions of whether these men were raped, and, unfortunately, it seemed the last thing he did to his victims was kill them.

What kind of maniac could torture people in such a way, to kidnap, rape, and eat them before killing them? Did he kill out of mercy, or was he enjoying each process as it came along? These questions and many more constantly pecked at Rin’s brain. They had never laid eyes on the perpetrator. No one has even been close, at least to live and tell the tale. He was sure The Fine Diner was basking in the glory of always managing to get away. He undoubtedly allowed the police to find the bodies. It hit national news every time one resurfaced. Rin was sure out of the millions of watchers their serial cannibal was one.

The door to his room swung open deterring him from his thoughts. His mind focused on the soft footfalls of his nurse as she entered the room. “Good news,” she began, cheery voice and flushed cheeks, “you’re being discharged.”

“Thank god,” Rin muttered, ripping his own IV line out. The nurse’s calm and happy façade quickly darkened as she shot her patient the most devilish look he had the pleasure of laying his eyes on. He hated hospitals more than he hated sweets, and for Rin, that was quite a statement. Without a second thought, he began detaching his leads causing the monitor to scream in protest. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he stood on the hard floor thankful he wasn’t in a laying position any longer.

The nurse silently shoved his clothes into his hands before stomping out of the room. The door slammed behind her as Sousuke and Rin burst into a fit of laughter.

“You really know how to flirt with the ladies,” Sousuke teased as he waited for his friend to change.

Rin grumbled. His partner’s word choice set him off for some reason. He pulled his pants on a little too forcefully. “Like you’re one to talk.”

Noticing the change in Rin’s attitude, Sousuke thought it would be the best time to break the news. “Oh, Chief Mikoshiba wanted to let you know that you have the next few days off to recover.”

With Sousuke’s last words, Rin slowly stood to his full height. He couldn’t remember the last time he was forced to take a day off. He turned to face his partner with a quizzical look smeared across his skin. “ _Few days_?” The question escaped his lips with a slight panicked undertone. Now was not the time to take a few days off. They had to jump on that lead as quickly as possible.

A small smile crept onto Sousuke’s lips. He understood Rin too well. “I know you love your work, Rin. But Seijuro wanted you to have a full recovery before we hit the trail of our serial cannibal. He wanted me to reassure you that he has things handled. He’s sending Momo and Ai on it right away.” He could see Rin deflate with each word. What he couldn’t say was that their Chief wanted to make sure Rin’s head was where it needed to be. Talk of a merman rescuing him would cause their department to implode. Mikoshiba didn’t want to lose one of his best detectives because of a joke that would go too far. “Take some time to get your thoughts straight,” was all he could manage as Rin turned his puppy dog eyes on him.

 

* * *

 

The evening was cold as Rin walked down the beach. The stars were bright in the sky. Thankfully there wasn’t much of a breeze as he hugged his arms around his torso. The extra set of clothes Sousuke brought to him weren’t suited for long nighttime strolls. Winter was coming to a close, but the nights still held on to the damp chill unwilling to acknowledge springtime. He had parted ways with Sousuke after dinner telling him he wanted to walk home. Maybe the cold night air would clear his mind, were his exact words as he waved his friend goodbye.

Like hell he was letting this merman go. Sousuke would disagree to the point of forcing him back to his house if he knew the truth. He told him to get his thoughts straight and that was exactly what Rin was going to do. Starting with finding his rescuer.

He walked until he reached the spot Sousuke had found him. He eyed the sand looking for any traces of fish-like tracks. High tide had come and gone and with it any evidence to his story. Rin sighed in frustration. He wasn’t about to give up, but the easiest clue slipped through his fingers this morning as he unwillingly stayed in the hospital. It was going to be a long night.

Climbing the nearest jetty, the policeman walked to the very edge. He could feel the salty spray splash his unprotected face. Just as he remembered, the water was freezing against his skin. He dug his hands deep into his pockets, unwilling to let go of the memory that so clearly echoed in his head. The longer he stood at the edge of the rocks, the more he felt the truth to his story wash away like each passing wave. No one – or thing – could possibly live in the ocean this time of year. Hypothermia was a serious issue, yet alone the possibility of being seen by so many fisherman and scuba divers. This wasn’t exactly a quiet beach.

Rin let out a long sighing breath causing mist to form in the crisp air. Maybe Sousuke was right. The longer he wrapped his mind around it, the more the idea of a merman seemed far-fetched. The cold started to burn at Rin’s pale skin. He wasn’t quite ready to give up, but his hopes had dropped drastically. He carefully made his way back across the jetty and onto the sand. His apartment wasn’t too far from his particular section of beach and he contemplated running home at this hour. The Fine Diner was still on the loose, and no matter how much Rin didn’t want to think about it, he did fit the bill. He could easily become another nameless victim. He was, after all, exactly the type of man he was targeting nowadays.

He began walking up the beach toward the staircase that would lead him back to the main road when his eyes caught something out of place. Stopping mid stride, he completely turned away from his destination and averted his attention to the pile of clothes half hidden behind a few rocks. When he reached them, he noticed a few things. One, they were deliberately hidden. It could easily be a few kids playing a prank on a fellow classmate who stripped and ran into the ocean as a joke. Two, even though the night was cold, he could still feel warmth radiating from deep within the folds. And three, why would anyone leave a full set of clothes, underwear and all, on the beach in the middle of the coldest season? No one should be swimming, day or night, this time of year.

A sparkle glistened in his red eyes. Judging by all three of his findings, he was sure someone was swimming. He turned his attention back to the ocean clicking on his flashlight he stole out of Sousuke’s patrol car. His gaze scanned the whole beachfront for irregularities in the bobbing waves. It was too cold to be in the water for too long, maybe even for a merman.

And if by luck, he saw him. It was far out in the distance, but Rin was sure he saw the dark hair of the man who saved him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was totally going to wait to post another chapter until the end of the week but I just got a little to anxious!!! I'm working on chapter 12 right now and what a rollercoaster of emotions take place between now and then! I'll be posting weekly for sure. If I'm feeling up to it and continue to write at the pace I'm going, I may post a few in between. :)
> 
> ...
> 
> Also meant to add that I'm giving cookies to whoever manages to guess who the correct killer is! Good luck, may the Force be with you!!
> 
> Enjoy responsibly! This is so much fun to me and I'm glad I can share this story with everyone.
> 
> Edit: Sousuke is lookin' hella fineeeee (please don't look at the "birds" too closely, you might ruin your eyes).

An hour passed by but no one came to claim the clothes left in the sand. Rin was beginning to doubt that this was anything more than a prank from the universe herself. An hour ago, he would’ve sworn up and down he saw his rescuer in the waves. With each passing minute, his doubt swelled. His body was numb and shaking from the deep cold. He didn’t realize how quickly his reflexes and senses were dulling due to the frigid air. He pulled a trembling hand out of his pocket to read the time on his watch. When 2:43 appeared on the black screen, Rin sighed. If he stayed out here much longer he could end up dying after all. Reluctantly, he got to his feet. With his legs aching in protest, he began the long journey back to his apartment.

The next thing he knew he was prying his eyes open to the sound of his doorbell. All of the blankets he owned currently swaddled him in a warm embrace. His body was stiff, and he was struggling to find the motivation to greet whomever was at his door. The doorbell rang again. It must’ve been someone from the department checking on him. By now, almost everyone would’ve been on their merry way. A hasty knock followed this time. _Sousuke_. Somehow finding the gumption to move, Rin stumbled to the front of his apartment. He realized he was still wearing his clothes from the night before as he wrenched the door open.

“Good morning, sweetheart.” Sousuke was not in a cheery mood after he took the full sight of his friend in. “Rough night?”

Rin sighed stepping out of his way, wordlessly letting his partner into his home. Under his breath he replied, “Like you wouldn’t believe.”

Sousuke strolled in, fully suited in his uniform. He didn’t get too much further than a few paces into Rin’s apartment before turning to his friend. “Seijuro asked me to stop in to make sure you were okay. And by the looks of it, it’s a good thing I did.”

The red head closed his door tight before facing his guest. He tried to run a hand through his hair but found his fingers touching the dirty bandages he was supposed to take off the night before. In frustration, he crossed his arms over his chest and turned his head away. “What’s it to you? If he wants me to come back to work, tell him I’m ready.”

“Like hell you are,” Sousuke replied. He forced air out of his lungs equally as frustrated as the man across from him. “Get in the shower, we’re getting breakfast.”

“We’re not going to that place again, are we?” Rin warranted, unsure if he should even follow his friend’s orders. They each had a favorite place to eat and Sousuke’s preference made him sick every time.

“No, I’m taking you to your favorite.”

Unsure if Sousuke was lying to him, Rin grumbled past his friend toward the only bathroom his apartment housed, slamming the door behind him. He ripped the bandages from his head and started the water. It became hot quickly, a splurge if you showered in the morning. Rin found out the hard way. The later you shower, the colder the water was. Within fifteen minutes, they were out the door.

Even with Sousuke’s bad sense of direction, he always drove. Rin was like his underling even though they shared the same rank. For some reason, he didn’t trust him behind the wheel. Rin uncharacteristically didn’t complain during the whole trip, quietly pointing out which road they should take. By the time they reached the Iwatobi Oceanfront Café, Sousuke was getting worried. Something was off with Rin, no matter how much he said otherwise.

After shutting the patrol car’s door, he crossed his hands over his muscular chest. Rin was already walking toward the door but stopped when he realized his partner wasn’t following. “What?” he snapped, knowing full well what Sousuke was about to say.

“What’s going on?” he asked. He knew Rin too well.

He hissed a quick, “I’m fine,” before continuing without Sousuke into the restaurant. Being the middle of the week, the place was fairly empty. An old buddy of Rin’s welcomed them at the door.

“Good day, Rin. Sousuke. Welcome back!” Makoto’s cheery face was always a mood lifter. “Sit wherever you’d like. I’ll be with you shortly.” The tall man gracefully strolled to the kitchen that was open to the public’s eye. The way they cooked their food was something they were very proud of. Rin took the nearest booth and slid all the way to the window. His gaze did not deter from the ocean. Sousuke seated himself across from him noting his odd behavior. He picked up the menu for something to do as he silently watched his friend. They frequented this restaurant more than Sousuke wanted to admit, but he loved that it always put a smile on Rin’s face. Within minutes, Makoto was back with a notepad and a pen.

“What’ll it be today?” he asked, cocking his head with a smile. “The usual?”

“That’s fine,” Rin replied, waving him off.

Sousuke quickly added, “Just a coffee for me, thanks.”

“Sure, I’ll be out with your drinks shortly.”

He left the two alone at the table once more. Sousuke replaced the menu and stared at Rin hoping that simple act would make him open up. He was sure after he left last night Rin went to the ocean to look for the merman. It would explain why he was acting so strangely today. Maybe he found something? Or maybe he found evidence that there was nothing and didn’t want to admit it.

“Here you are.” Makoto was quick, carefully setting down the two coffees in front of his guests. “Food will be out shortly.”

“Thanks,” Rin said, finally shifting his gaze from the waves. It locked on to the white ceramic mug in front of him as he lifted it to take a drink.

“Better be careful, it’s still pretty hot.” The words didn’t escape Makoto’s mouth quick enough as Rin practically spit the burning liquid back into the cup. “I’ll fetch you some water.” Guiltily, the son of the restaurant’s owner quickly retraced his steps into the kitchen.

Rin’s eyes followed, wanting them to be anywhere but on Sousuke. He found himself watching the chefs in the kitchen preparing his breakfast. They were three of them total. Two chefs faced them. The last was hidden behind their bodies facing the wall. He was tossing the eggs and meat of Rin’s meal into the air to stir them with finesse. How anyone could ever do that and catch all of the food back in the skillet afterwards flabbergasted Rin.

He found himself mesmerized with the movements. He knew the Tachibana’s haven’t hired anyone in years, another reason they were incredibly proud of what they created. They treated their employees well, and in return they continued to work hard. Rin was sure that chef was working here for a while, but he was having a hard time remembering him. When one of the two chefs blocking his view moved, Rin’s stomach pulled.

That dark hair…

The chef turned, eyes locking onto Rin’s red stare. They held their gaze, unfaltering. It felt like years passed until the man walked out of sight.

Those eyes…

Sousuke noticed the whiteness pass over Rin’s usually blushed face. He tried following his line of sight but could only narrow down his target as something in the kitchen. Makoto returned with two glasses of water, setting them carefully on the table. His arrival seemed to pull Rin out of his trance.

“Thank you,” he muttered, taking the water and downing it in seconds.

Unknowingly and horrified, Sousuke watched. Rin felt like he was suffocating. He reached for Sousuke’s water and started chugging that as well. He wasn’t feeling comfortable in his own skin. He must’ve dreamt up the merman story because the man that rescued him was standing on two legs in the kitchen preparing him food. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind now.

Rin knew that the people you dreamed about were the random faces you pass on the street. Your brain could recall that memory no matter how much you think you’ve forgotten it and put it in your mind. And if that wasn’t enough, it would then twist it into a dream or a nightmare allowing you to not only feel like a stranger has entered your subconscious, but to remember a face in a new light.

“Rin?” Sousuke pressured, unsure if his friend was even breathing.

With the last swallow, he slammed the glass down on the table with an exasperated breath. It felt like someone had taken a knife through his stomach. He didn’t feel hungry anymore. His pent up emotions were beginning to flood out. If he wasn’t careful, he might start crying in front of Sousuke. “Excuse me,” he managed to say as he stumbled out of the booth and toward the bathroom.

He felt like his mind betrayed him in the worst possible way. He was so sure of what he saw, what he felt that night. And for reality to come crashing down in the middle of a public place. It was intolerable. The bathroom door slowly swung shut behind Rin as he turned the tap to cold. He didn’t waste any time splashing the chilly water against his pale skin.

He tried to scrub his emotions clean off his face, but he found his tears mixing with the tap water. “ _Dammit_ ,” he hissed under his breath, his wet hands covering his embarrassment. He bit his lower lip to try and quell his rampant feelings but nothing seemed to work.

A flush of the toilet and the unlocking of a stall door seemed to straighten him up. Rin couldn’t hide the shocked look on his face as he glanced in the mirror. Someone had been in the bathroom with him this whole time and he was positive that they heard everything.

The door swung open. Deep blue eyes met the reflection of his red ones. An equally shocked expression greeted him. The chef from the kitchen froze behind the officer, eyes wide. Rin was in such disbelief that he turned around to take in the full sight of the man. They stared at each other, motionless.

The chef was the first to move, ducking his gaze as he quietly went about washing his hands. A small blush tainted the soft skin layering his cheek. It complimented his blue eyes and dark hair well, but the cop didn’t dwell on that for long. Rin’s eyes never left him. Larger than life, his supposed rescuer was without a doubt standing on two legs feet from him. It felt like his mind was self-destructing by the second. All of these unknown emotions kept bubbling to the surface.

The chef quickly turned to leave, pushing the door with his elbow. It seemed to pull Rin from his thoughts. “H-hey!” he called, just as surprised that he finally found his voice as the man was hearing it. Did his pace quicken? Before Rin could say another word, he disappeared into the back half of the restaurant. The door swung shut behind him. An Employees Only sign mocked him as he stopped in his tracks.

“Rin?” Sousuke’s surprised voice found his ears. He turned to the originator with a saddened look on his face. How could he even begin to explain himself? He was sure the look of shock mixed with tears was enough to tell the story, but…these feelings? What were they?

“I’m fine,” he sputtered without hesitation. Using the back of his hand to wipe the remaining moisture off of his skin, Rin joined his friend at the booth. Since his absence, Makoto had brought refills for both of their waters and the breakfast that he always ordered. His partner glanced at his watch when he finally dug in. Rin found the gut churning feeling hadn’t subsided but to fool Sousuke into thinking he was okay he had to eat.

“Look, I have to get back to the precinct. Seijuro will have my ass. Do yourself a favor and go home and stay there. You’re obviously not ready to come back to work.”

“Fine,” Rin said between mouthfuls.

The lack of an argument set Sousuke on edge. He sighed in frustration. He was doing that a lot lately. “Go home, Rin.” The red head waved him off as he placed money on the table. He left without another word.

 

* * *

 

Rin did as he was told and took off after somehow stomaching all of the food. He said a quick thank you and goodbye to Makoto before rushing out the door. Two blue eyes followed his every movement undetected. The police officer found himself running home completely swallowed by his thoughts. He passed the place he washed ashore still without answers as to why he miraculously survived. Nothing was making logical sense in his brain, and he was hoping the run would help clear out the fog.

As soon as he made it to his apartment, he dead bolted the door behind him and went straight to his bed. Throwing himself onto the mound of blankets, Rin started thinking. He had to connect the dots. Maybe his survival would be a shrouded mystery that would possibly be solved by uncovering more clues, but something about the way that chef was acting was causing him grief.

Why was he surprised to see him when he exited the stall? Why was he acting so nervous? Why did he stare? Why was he blushing? The thought of his red skin sent a shiver down Rin’s spine. He found his own face heating up with the memory. He shoved his head into his pillow and screamed. He was too aggravated for words. He had never felt like this before and he wanted to know what these emotions were and why they were taking over his mind. How could he think logically like this?

The answer was he couldn’t. It only irritated him further. He had to go back. He needed answers and the only way he was going to get them was to talk to the chef personally. Rin settled himself with his current solution. His brain wasn’t firing right. There was no point focusing on work when he had his own mystery to solve.

The thrill of a new puzzle calmed his nerves. The Fine Diner had to be placed on the back burner and Rin was surprisingly okay with the thought. Sousuke was handling things on the work end. His partner could work the case without him for a few days. The whole department had his back. Regardless, he was sure he wasn’t going to be able to perform at a fully functional level unless he put this to rest.

Decidedly, he rolled onto his back, eyes closing to the thought of the familiar deep blue orbs of the chef. He felt like they were trying to swallow him whole.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter three is here a day early!! Since this is my first post with the newly implemented chapter picture thingies, I'm saying it again here. Because ruining my life by finishing this work wasn't killing me fast enough, I've decided to sketch a scene from every chapter and post it as well!
> 
> Lucky you! Not so awesome for me. They're super rough sketches and honestly not all that good (like my writing). I've been on a "hiatus" if you can call it that for some time. I'm pretty rusty. That hiatus includes my writing and my art, just a tidbit of information.
> 
> Anyway, enough rambling. Enjoy!

A few hours passed before Rin mustered up the courage to head back to the Iwatobi Oceanfront Café. He spent his time trying to think up possible solutions to his inquires. They all resulted in the same: More questions and no answers. The chef was at the forefront of his mind, consuming his being. He didn’t even know his name. At the very least, Rin was shocked he could even forget those eyes.

He decided on running back. His thoughts were still bothering him and he was hoping another jog would help unscramble the knots it created. By the time he was pulling the glass door open again, it was well into the afternoon.

“Rin?” Makoto’s surprised expression greeted him. “Did you forget something?”

Rin’s full attention was on the kitchen, but he couldn’t spot that distinguished dark hair. “Makoto, where is that chef of yours…the one with the blue eyes?”

“Do you mean Haruka?”

Haruka. Rin’s brain kept repeating his name. Over and over like a broken record it went trying to recall any memories that could’ve been tucked away. “The one that cooked my breakfast this morning.”

“Haruka Nanase. He’s been working here for a few years now. I went to school with him actually.” Makoto blushed as he said this, scratching a finger against his burning cheek. “Don’t be offended by any looks he might’ve given you. He looks very unmotivated and uncaring, but he’s a really nice guy.”

Rin watched Makoto carefully. He had conducted many interrogations before, and could usually tell if someone was lying. His blushed face and strange body language were evidences of him having strong feelings, but not falsifying the truth. Maybe that’s why he felt so strange next to Haruka. If his looks didn’t express what he’s actually feeling…

No. That wasn’t it. He was blatantly shocked when he met Rin’s gaze in the mirror. It was his avoidance of eye contact after that caused the policeman so much anguish. Was it a sign of a guilty conscious or discomfort? Rin was crying after all. Anyone in his right mind would’ve been a little uncomfortable at the sight of a stranger blubbering in a public bathroom.

“Can I talk to him?” It was the question of the hour. It felt weird slipping off of his tongue.

“Eh…I’m terribly sorry, but he actually had the afternoon off. He left around one.”

Rin deflated. It was like the universe was fighting him, holding the answers he so desperately needed as hostage. Makoto caught his depressive behavior and added a quick, “He likes to run near the beach this time of day. You might be able to catch him before he heads home.”

His eyes ablaze, he said another hasty thank you and goodbye and sprinted out the door just as quickly as the last time. _Likes to run near the beach_. Rin made a mental note in his head. Maybe the merman story was slightly distorted in his brain, but it was possible he did save him that night. _An innocent bystander watching all of the events unfolding before him_ …it wasn’t much to go off of, but Rin was desperate. It was more probable than a merman saving him, but still, to conclude something like that just from one small piece of information. A lot of people like to run along the beach. Rin did. He loved seeing the sunset across the waves, it’s golden reflection shining like a million suns, sparkling with every pull of the tide.

He quickly debated which direction to head. He decided running towards the outskirts of town with a psycho killer on the loose would be stupid, so he chose the path heading inwards. If this Haruka Nanase was smart enough to save someone from the freezing waters of the ocean, he wouldn’t risk being easily targeted by the town’s cannibal.

Unless he _was_ the town’s cannibal.

Rin stopped in his tracks, his face growing pale. He was so bent out of shape about his rescuer he didn’t even think about the possibility of him being an unhinged man-eater. Somewhere The Fine Diner lurked, stalking his next prey. If he continued, the possibility existed that he could be the next victim.

“Hey.” The voice that reached Rin’s ears was smooth, though a hint of anger could almost be detected in his tone. This wasn’t a greeting for pleasantries; this was a demand to respond in any way. The red head turned on his heels meeting the all too familiar unfazed face of Haruka. His eyes were burning, staring down Rin’s normally strong front. No evidence of surprise lingered from their earlier encounter. The policeman was faltering. There were so many questions dancing on his tongue. The only realization he came to was the direction in which Haruka was running. He met Rin’s back, which meant he came from the opposite route the investigator initially pegged. His stomach knotted. The breakfast he inhaled was threatening to come back the way it came.

Maybe this was their guy. He could be a dead man tomorrow.

Rin didn’t move. He found swallowing the hostile vomit quickly rising in his throat difficult. His stare was starting to make him nervous. Was he trying to break him? If so, Rin wasn’t about to snap so easily. This situation started to feel like a competition. Who would back down first?

“Haruka.”

The dark haired man’s expression shifted slightly into disgust. “Don’t call me that.”

Surprise passed Rin’s face. I guess the answer was easily determined. “I’ve been looking for you,” he spat. “I have a few questions I need to ask.”

“Why are you here?”

Maybe the answer wasn’t easily determined. Just when he thought this might go his way, Haruka bit back. His bluntness made Rin’s cheeks flush. Unsure of where to start, he started blurting out his thoughts. “Where were you last night around the hours of midnight to two? Why were you acting so strange earlier? Why did you run away from me?”

And why was he making Rin so uncomfortable? The unspoken question lingered on his lips, but he concealed it behind his pointy teeth.

“None of your business.” The simple answer made Rin question more. He was avoiding everything, yet chose to talk to him when he could’ve easily dodged the cop. Serial cannibal was screaming in the back of his mind, overwhelming his thoughts. His gut was still churning from the possibilities. He wished he grabbed his pistol before leaving the apartment.

“Like hell,” he breathed trying to calm every screaming nerve. He clicked his tongue and turned his head to the ocean. “Two nights ago, I fell from a cliff not far from here. Someone saved my life by pulling me from the water.” Rin ran a hand through his tousled hair brushing against the scabbed wound that sat along his hairline. He should’ve pulled his wild mane back before his run. His rampant thoughts allowed two of his normal habits to disintegrate to meaningless actions. What had gotten into him?

He met the eyes of the proposed killer again. Either this was their serial cannibal or he was a bystander that knew too much. He was hiding something. Rin could see that, but what? He was fucked either way. It boiled down to two options: Targeted and killed, or forever questioning what happened to him starving for answers. He unreasonable mind figured he might as well go out knowing what happened. Bluntly, he predicted, “It was you.”

He said this to get a reaction from Haruka. With his body language, Rin could get answers. How he responded caught the red head off guard. A swift turn of his body, he sighed a quick, “Whatever.” And he was off, running towards town. It was slow, but his movements were unlike anything Rin had ever laid eyes on. The way the sun shone against his dark hair. The way his body moved with each step. It was completely breathtaking, like the whole world stopped to watch.

Rin caught himself blushing before realizing that the closest thing to a suspect he had was getting away. It was easy to run him down, but Haruka refused to slow his pace. His evading actions pointed more towards a guilty conscious to Rin. But reason and motive were still a gigantic unknown. “Tell me the truth,” he demanded, keeping pace. “You saw what happened and you jumped in and pulled me out of the water. When I woke in the hospital, I distinctly remember your eyes staring at me that night.” He left out his memory of feeling the scales against this skin.

Haruka didn’t respond. Not even a simple glance in his direction.

It made Rin’s blood boil. Haruka Nanase was pissing him off. “Stubborn asshole,” he hissed. The chef stopped in his tracks finally making eye contact. Surprised but not thrown off, the policeman continued his interrogation. “Just answer my questions and I’ll leave you alone,” Rin added thoroughly angered. He shouldn’t be surprised about the front Haruka was putting up. A stranger hunted him down demanding responses to a bunch of incriminating, personal questions.

Rin could almost see him thinking things through. What kind of lie would he spill next? Would he finally get the answers he was looking for? Maybe he would explain everything.

“I’ll pass.” Back to the running he went.

He wanted to rip his hair out. What kind of person was Haruka?! _The nerve of that guy…_ Sighing, the officer followed attentively. He was getting his answers; he just needed to think of a different approach. By following him, it could be considered harassment. It wasn’t like Haruka was telling him to go away though, so he continued silently. They crossed over many roads and bridges making their way up the mountain that was their hometown. When things started changing from businesses and establishments to apartments and homes, Rin regretted his decision. It was getting close to dinner and people were still out and about, but what if this was some sort of trap? Could Haruka even plan for Rin to react in such away? He didn’t even know him, or did he?

He stared slowing his pace when he reached a landing on the sidewalk that split between to staircases. Rin followed, still without saying a word. Haruka began to stretch his warm muscles indicating to the policeman that he was finished running for the time being. _His house must be close to here_ , noted Rin, following the chef’s lead and stretching along with him. The entire time Haruka kept a watchful eye on Rin. It was so overwhelming, the red head thought something was wrong with his face. Did he forget to shave? Did he have food in his teeth?

After a few minutes of loosening up his muscles, Haruka started up the stairs leaving Rin where he stood. He was beginning to question his reasoning behind following the man to his home. How desperate was he for the solution? Obviously desperate enough to follow him up the stairs. His legs were moving on their own, gravitating toward the only source of water that could quench his unending thirst. The answers were close; he could feel it.

Haruka stopped at the door of a smaller home in the mountains. He fiddled with the lock for a few moments before sliding the door open. He stepped inside, tossed the keys onto the entrance table, and left the door wide open expecting Rin to follow him in. Without hesitation, he did, sliding the door closed to the world of the living. He had entered a domain he wasn’t familiar with. The air was strange. He couldn’t put a finger on how to describe it, but it wasn’t completely uninviting. Haruka had disappeared around the corner into what he figured would be the dining room. Following, he came face to face with him pulling his sweaty clothes off of his body.

His eyes were drawn to the lean muscles rippling down his back. The light hit them just right causing his heart to stop. Haruka made quick work of his sweatshirt exiting the room to carefully put it into the laundry basket. He returned to open the mini fridge, pulling out two bottles of water. Tossing one to Rin, he cracked the lid and lifted the clear liquid to his lips.

Rin’s heart was pounding. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the events unfolding before him. What was going to happen when the water hit his skin? Not allowing the possibility of him being a merman leave his brain, he sucked in a breath of air as the seconds slowed in anticipation. Haruka swallowed the mouthful of liquid before resting his quizzical blue stare on Rin. It was disappointingly underwhelming. He wasn’t sure exactly what he was expecting but it was something more than that. Rin’s face outwardly expressed his feelings.

Haruka shifted, recapping his water, setting it on the table, and stepping toward the cop with a raised hand. Rin’s defenses shot up as he took a step back. The chef stopped, catching the obvious movement. At last, Haruka spoke, “Are you afraid of me?”

The question was simple, yet the unspoken feelings Rin was experiencing was making it complicated. He wasn’t sure if he should be. His environment felt normal. He figured if Haruka was a man-eater, something would feel off inside his home especially when he was in close quarters with him. He couldn’t shake the feeling the chef was trying to make a pass at him. Whether or not his intensions were pure ate away at Rin’s conscious. The only way to know for a fact was to let him continue.

“No.” Rin’s mind screamed in protest as Haruka continued his advance. He searched for a possible weapon. The bottle of water he was holding wasn’t suited for combat though it could provide a distraction.

Haruka’s soft fingers brushed against Rin’s temple tucking his disheveled hair behind his ear. He took a step closer, eyes blazing in the dim light. Rin watched in awe as he inspected the partially healed gash on his forehead. He traced his thumb along the semi-swollen area around the scabs but never dared to pass the boundaries. And in an instant, Haruka had stepped away leaving Rin shocked and insatiable. His face was fire engine red and goose bumps spread across every aspect of his body. His mind was misfiring again. What just happened? Did he just forget to breathe? What should he do? What were these unknown feelings?

“Hey! You can’t just walk away from that!” Rin watched as Haruka was sauntering away again, this time toward the kitchen. He followed like a lost puppy left outside in the rain. “What the hell was that?!”

“Haru.”

Haruka’s answer took Rin for surprise. It seemed to tame some of his wilder emotions. More calmly, he asked, “What?”

Without stopping his work preparing dinner, he answered defiantly, “Call me Haru.”

Rin ran a hand through his hair, rubbing the back of his neck. He followed Haru all of the way back to his house and never introduced himself. Sheepishly, he avoided eye contact with the half naked, dark haired man. “I’m – ”

“Rin.”

He couldn’t hide the look of shock on his face. He could’ve sworn he just encountered Haru today. How was it possible he knew his name already? Haru probably wasn’t The Fine Diner, but maybe he did rescue him that night. “How do you know that?”

“The same way I know you work for the local police.” He started grilling two pieces of mackerel counting on Rin staying for dinner at the very least. His ever-watching stare caught Rin’s red eyes again. “I asked.”

The red head’s eyebrows tightened. He was confused again. A suffocating feeling spread in his chest and he didn’t know what it was or what he should do to fix it. “But why?”

“I was curious.”

At this point he needed to know. He began questioning how long Haru had been observing him. How long was he a part of his life before he realized it? And because of all of this, did he save him that night? “I’m curious too. And you haven’t answered all of my questions.”

Haru turned his full body toward Rin. He looked so stoic, spatula in hand, Rin’s heart skipped a beat. His facial expression hadn’t changed much since their run, but he thought the small glisten in the deep blue eyes of his was growing larger. “I’ll answer all of your questions. But to do that, I have to show you.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Say hi and bye to these chapter pictures. That was short lived. Whoops. I realized after a full week of attempting to roughly sketch these out that it was taking too much time away from my writing. So, instead of not posting regularly only because I don't have the picture drawn was silly, I decided to throw away the idea. I may come back to it when I do complete this work! But for the time being, I'm focusing on my writing so you can get regular updates. Weeeee! :)
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy! Thanks again for reading!
> 
> Also, early chapter update. Chapter 13 is complete and I felt like celebrating.
> 
>  
> 
> And sorry for any mistakes!!

The two men finished their meal quietly. Rin thanked him for dinner. Even though salt grilled mackerel wasn’t his favorite, Haru prepared it perfectly. He gulped his glass of barley tea in two swallows before looking for answers.

Haru practically sighed. “You’re not very patient.”

Rin chuckled. He was in a much better mood after the food. Knowing that Haru probably wasn’t a demonic killer helped calm his nerves as well. “Can you blame me? You’ve been quiet all day. It’s putting me into a state of suspense, and as an officer of the law, I can’t tolerate it very long.”

The chef got to his feet stretching the tightness that had settled into his muscles. He still hadn’t put a shirt on and it was becoming increasingly more distracting for Rin. “I’ll explain on the way.”

Haru finally pulled a clean sweatshirt over his naked torso. Letting Rin borrow a coat, they prepared to head outside. Without a word, Haru grabbed his keys and opened the front door. Rin followed quickly, attempting to mentally ready himself for answers that didn’t suit his current ideas. The evening was already dark, normal for the ending days of winter. The nights were long and the days were short. Rin couldn’t wait until spring when the cherry blossoms would fall. For some reason, he wanted to show Haru his favorite place to watch the petals douse the ground pink. The familiar coldness settled in, pulling him out of his fantasy. It was time.

They began their hike back down the mountain. Rin was wondering where they were heading, but he had a feeling it was back to the beach where he washed ashore. “What happened that night?” Rin asked, shaking from the anticipation.

Haru kept his eyes forward, watching his surroundings as they went. A slight blush appeared on his cheeks. Rin wondered why. “I was there.” He watched Haru’s face contort into some unknown emotion. Was it grief? “I had watched the events unfolding before me like I was in a comic book. It all seemed so unreal. And before I knew it, you were falling. It would be easy enough to survive if you didn’t hit your head on the rocks. Your friend would have a search party ready for you when you finally swam to shore. But you did…”

Rin remembered it clearly. The low life thief kicked his leg out from underneath him, deliberately pushing him off of the cliff. It was an attempt to end his life. “You saw me fall, but where were you?” He couldn’t have been swimming in waters that cold. But for some reason, Rin’s gut was trying to tell a different story. One he shouldn’t have brushed off so easily.

A small smile replaced the worried look. Rin never saw him smile before. Infectious as it was, he found himself smiling as his cheeks blushed too. “It wasn’t like I was going to let you drown, Rin.”

It wasn’t the full answer he was expecting. Even to this point, Haru was evading him. There was something he was hiding from Rin, something that he figured would be told in its own way on Haru’s own time. He begged for a sooner resolution.

“I was just happy to know it didn’t result in too much trouble for you.” Haru had his eyes on Rin’s mark of impact. The small blush turned into a full crimson face. Rin instinctively brought his hand to his wound trying to hide his embarrassment with his hair.

How could a stranger care about him so much? And yet…how could he be so affected by him? He didn’t even know anything about Haru; what his favorite food was, what he liked to do in his free time.

“I could’ve died,” he finally spat, completely flabbergasted. Was that the best he could do for a thank you? Haru was tearing him up on the inside with just one look, and there was nothing he could do but fall head over heels with every glance of those striking eyes.

Haru didn’t seem to mind his version of a thank you. The rest of the way down the mountain was in silence. It didn’t take them long before they were standing at the exact spot Rin deduced his new friend was leading them.

“This is where they found me.” Rin began.

“This was where I left you.”

He turned to face the dark haired man when Rin’s eyes widened in shock. Haru was wasting no time stripping once again. The night air was already cold enough with a coat, but even that didn’t seem to stop him. He figured he would end with just his sweatshirt again this time, but became even more distressed when he started untying his sweatpants. Frantically looking around for bystanders, Rin’s face heated even more. How comfortable was this guy to get completely naked in the middle of a public place? And why wasn’t he arresting him for public nudity? This was all wrong, but he couldn’t say a damn thing about it. Regardless of Haru’s methods, he was giving him the answers he wanted to hear.

“You know I saved you that night. I’m going to show you how.” He shoved all of his clothes into Rin’s arms before walking to the ocean’s waves. Without hesitation, he began to step into the surf.

Rin’s dropped the ball of clothes in his arms as he watched. This was the return he expected when Haru started drinking from the bottle of water earlier. Stunning blue-green scales began appearing on his legs engrossing every ounce of skin he had on his lower body. His legs started molding together, forming one long tail. At this point, Haru dropped into the surf, unable to support his body without feet. He kept his face turned, but Rin could tell that this wasn’t a pain free transformation. He could only imagine what it would feel like for your skin to spit out scales and fins. Within a minute his two legs became a fishtail.

He really was a merman.

His calm look taking over his face again, Haru finally turned to Rin. Their eyes met. So many thoughts passed between the two of them, Rin couldn’t even process them all. He found himself moving toward Haru like his body was the moon and he was a helpless wave following the unspoken rules of the tides. He got to his knees before him, his pants saturating quickly in the salty water. The thought of the cold spreading through his lower body sat on the back burner of his mind. Curiosity became the better of him. He had to know what he felt like.

Before he realized it, his hand was running along the beautifully sparkling scales. They were smooth to the touch, utterly irresistible. His eyes fell on the fins that now existed where Haru’s two feet should’ve been. They pushed and pulled with the incoming and outgoing waves, beautifully dancing in perfect sync. It reminded Rin of seaweed floating just under the surface of the water. But _this_ … He couldn’t find the words.

Sliding his hand all the way down to the very bottom of his tail, he glided his fingertips over Haru’s fins. They felt so bizarre, how slippery they were under his touch.

Haru choked back a giggle.

It pulled Rin out of his daydream. Realizing what just conspired, he retracted at full force almost knocking himself on his ass. His mind was short-circuiting. What the hell did he just do?! Sputtering, he managed to say, “ _S-sorry!_ ” His face had to be comical, bright red and eruptive. He just felt up a half fish man. He was having a hard time accepting the weird approval he was getting from Haru about the whole situation.

A soft touch brushed his hand. Haru began intertwining his fingers with Rin’s. He felt like his heart might explode from the amount of intimacy a complete stranger was inflicting on his senses. He realized too late how close the merman was to him. They were way past sharing the same breathing space. Haru placed Rin’s hand back on his glistening scales releasing his grip to reach behind his neck, pulling him closer.

Their lips lightly touched. It felt as though Haru was holding back. Was he unsure of the current happenings too or was he afraid of Rin’s disapproval? They held themselves in the same position, centimeters away from each other, eyes locked, breathing heavy, waiting on the next move. Rin’s lips were tingling. He suddenly desperately craved the euphoric feeling he just briefly tasted from Haru.

He closed the gap, fingers tightening against Haru’s scales. At this point he needed him, every inch, right now. Their kisses became more intense, Rin breaking every so often to breathe. Just touching his lips and feeling his tongue brush his own wasn’t enough. He craved so much more. Starting on his neck, the red head passed a trail of hot kisses down to Haru’s shoulder where he nibbled on his bare skin. The merman took in a sharp breath of ecstasy, tightening his grip on Rin’s hair pulling him even closer.

It still wasn’t sufficient. He could feel Haru begging for more, and it wasn’t like he didn’t want it too. The policeman wasn’t sure how comfortable he was doing this in a public place, but with every kiss and every bite, his mind pushed the thought down until he succumbed to his heart’s desires. He let Haru push him against the sand. The icy water hit his body repeatedly with each wave submerging half of his being in the salty liquid. The heat they were creating overcompensated for the cold that was trying to take over. Haru pulled himself onto Rin, sliding his scales across his dick in a teasing manner. Rin moaned, and in that moment, the merman made his move. His lips were back against the red head’s taking everything he had been waiting for. His tongue slipped between Rin’s parted mouth in an attempt to send him spiraling into ecstasy again.

Loving every second of pleasure Haru was giving him, Rin pushed his hips against his body in a silent plea to finally give him some sort of release. The fast rate of intensity in this situation was leaving him pained again. He was becoming ravenous. Haru slipped one of his hands under Rin’s shirt. He brushed his skin with his fingertips teasingly as he made his way to one of his nipples. Once there, Haru rolled his thumb across the sensitive skin. Rin had to break their make out session to moan, arching his back in pleasure.

His fingers didn’t stay there for long. Sensing Rin’s need for more, Haru brought his hand back the way hit came stopping on the hemline of his pants. In one swift movement, he slid his body down purposely running it against Rin’s crotch again. He released his grip from the ruffled red hair, and began to make quick work of Rin’s pants.

In a panic, Rin grabbed Haru’s wrist stopping him in his tracks. He propped himself up on his elbow, biting his lip. His heart and mind were at battle. Rin had let himself be swept away in the moment, but they were still in a public place. How many people would see them? How many laws were they going to break if he didn’t say anything? But, damn, did he need Haru right now.

“Not here…”

Unmoving, they stared at each other. Rin was waiting to see if Haru was going to comply to his request. He didn’t want to make it seem like he was unsure of all of this now. The public atmosphere had him anxious and the last thing he wanted was to be caught banging someone – or something – on a communal beach. He was supposed to enforce the law, not break it.

At last, Haru shifted again, pulling himself off of Rin’s body and back into the sand. The absence of his body heat left Rin shaking. He wished he didn’t kill the mood with those words. He rotated toward Haru to see what he was up to. The merman was on his back staring at the stars. Only his lower body touched the water now.

Rin almost forgot. To get back to Haru’s house, he would have to transform back into the human everyone thought he was. Curiosity snuck back into his mind. Did he shed the excess scales and fins for his legs to reappear? Or did his body consume them? And was the process as painful as it looked when his fishtail emerged? “Haru?” he asked, entirely unsure of what he needed to do now that he put them in this situation.

Haru’s blue gaze settled back on Rin’s worried face. A small smile appeared on his lips as he reached a hand toward the red head. He brushed a finger along Rin’s cheek. “Can you pull me out of the water?” Rin scrambled to his feet to reach Haru, his clothes sticking uncomfortably to his skin, soaked from the water he was lying in. Grabbing Haru under the arms, he pulled a few feet inland so his body was completely untouched from the ocean. He collapsed in the sand releasing his grip. Haru’s head rested in his lap.

“So now what?” Rin asked, watching Haru flip his tail into the air splashing him with the small amount of moisture that clung to his fins.

“It won’t be long now.”

Rin returned his gaze to Haru’s swimming eyes. Just as they were earlier, he felt as though they were slowly swallowing him whole. The merman reached a hand to his face once more, securing his hand behind his neck. He turned his body to the side as the amount of pain increased. His body lurched, as he tightened into a fetal position. Rin helplessly watched, putting a comforting touch on Haru’s grip. The beautiful fishtail slowly became engulfed by skin disappeared completely leaving behind droplets of water and wet sand on his legs.

Once his transformation was complete, Haru let out a sigh of relief.

“Why?” Rin finally choked. What he witnessed pulled at his heartstrings. How could someone go through that much pain willingly? “Why do you put yourself through this?”

Haru’s eyes widened as they found Rin’s teary stare. His features softened up as the same smile reappeared on his lips. “Because I love to swim. And you wouldn’t have believed me unless you saw it for yourself.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so HARU IS A MERMAN. Why not a half-fish man? Because I'm lazy as fuck and that takes too long to write.  
> If you think I'm joking, the joke is on you. Because I'm a load of trash.
> 
>  
> 
> And inherently a lazy fuck. :)
> 
> Hope you liked it!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, now that you all know exactly what kind of story this is going to be (not really, that's a joke because I don't even know what kind of story this is going to be), please enjoy! No chapter picture this time as said on the last chapter.
> 
> Side note, I totally thought about posting this Friday, but it's gotta be Friday somewhere already, right???
> 
> TGIF. I'm all about it. It's been a hell of a week already.
> 
>  
> 
> Sorry for any mistakes!

“F-freeze!” A fearful voice cut through the night pulling the two men from their touching moment. A shaky flashlight beam hit them full force causing Rin to raise an arm to his face to block the light. It stung his eyes, but that was hardly the worst of his worries. His chest constricted as his stomach tightened. He recognized that voice. It was Ai’s.

He guessed it originated from the road. The light was too bright for him to see far enough to tell for sure. For whatever reason, he hadn’t made it down to the sand yet. If true, it was a lucky break for them. Rin would have to bitch him out later for not following through with his designated task, but they needed to become very scarce in the next few seconds.

Haru must’ve had the same train of thought, because under his breath he said, “Get my clothes and meet me a few miles down the beach. Don’t approach the water unless you’re alone. I’ll find you.”

Rin nodded in approval. Without looking back at Haru, he took off moments later in a dead sprint. Scooping up the pile of clothes being sure not to leave a single article behind, he was on his way. Ai was yelling his name as he went. It now became a question of whom he would try and follow. Would he go after the naked man Rin was with, or would he follow is own superior?

If he were well trained, he would’ve gone after the person who actually broke the law. But instead, Rin noticed he had turned the vehicle sirens on. He cussed under his breath as he crossed the road for more cover. It wasn’t completely unexpected. Ai always had a fancy for the red head, and chasing after him as an alternative to Haru followed his character perfectly. It would be an easy way to get answers. And could potentially lead him to Haru.

He squealed the tires as he began pursuit. Rin cut down an alley, dodging dumpsters and boxes as he sprinted away from his follower. His heart was pounding, but he had to keep Haru’s secret safe. If all he could do was draw heat as he escaped into the ocean, then he did his job perfectly. However annoying, Haru had to remain free. He wouldn’t know what he would do with himself if the merman had to endure prison for showing Rin how he saved his life, regardless of breaking a law or two in the process. He took a sharp left almost running over a pink haired pedestrian. He didn’t seem surprised by Rin’s frantic getaway, but there were other more important things to be concerned about. Yelling sorry as he ran by, Rin continued. He squeezed down another alley, took another left, and sprinted back down a third alley. He tried to listen for the sound of the patrol car’s sirens as he went. They seemed to be getting quieter. Running back across the main road to get back to the ocean would be difficult. Rin decided to stay on the far side until it was time to cut back.

He paused at the corner to catch his breath. The sirens were definitely further away than expected. “Ai, you idiot.” Rin was undoubtedly going to chew his ass when he got back to the department. He always got super flustered in high-tension situations. It would be like him to get too worked up and get completely lost and turned around. Momo helped keep his brain on track. Rin wondered where his partner was tonight. Looking both ways, he rearranged Haru’s clothes for easier running and continued in the opposite direction Ai was heading. Either way, he needed to focus on his current task. Haru was back in the cold ocean, and even though he could sustain himself for a few hours like he did the night Rin first went looking for him, the longer he was underwater, the more worried Rin became. Call it intuition or a gut feeling something about transforming so frequently had Rin’s stomach in knots.

Haru didn’t really tell him a direction to run either. Down the beach was a very vague term. Event though he said he would meet him on the coast, Rin hoped he knew what he was doing. Adrenaline kept him going until he was sure he was far enough away from their original spot on the beach. Double checking all of his surrounding, he carefully crossed the road and made his way down to the surf. The area of beach he picked had a jetty similar to the one near their original location. He knew it would give him more cover as he waited until Haru made himself visible. Carefully climbing near the rocks, he whispered Haru’s name.

His eyes searched the ocean looking for his dark head of hair to appear. He chanced calling his name a little louder. Turning his red stare back to the road, he watched a few cars passed by neither of which were Ai’s patrol vehicle. Unless they were deliberately searching, Rin doubted they could see him anyway. The sound of splashing caught his attention, bringing him back to the surf. Haru was dragging himself on to the sand, breathing too heavily.

Running to his side, Rin helped pull him from the water. Haru’s hands gripped the sand as his transformation began once more. He choked back a scream. Rin’s feeling was right. The more frequent his changes were, the more painful it was for Haru. Not only that, but he looked completely exhausted. Rin scanned the area again, the constant threat of being found looming in his mind. The longer they sat there, the more likely they would be found.

Rin began shoving clothes over Haru’s naked body. The merman tried his best to help, but he kept stumbling around. How they were ever going to make it back up the mountain was beyond him. “We need to get you back home,” Rin started as he hoisted Haru to his feet, supporting him under his arm.

“I’ll be better in a few minutes,” Haru wheezed. His breaths were harsh and frequent like he ran twice as much Rin did to get to him. He couldn’t wait that long to find out if he was lying or not. Heaving him forward, they began their long journey back up the hill. They crossed the main roadway without issue, but the sound of the pervasive siren was becoming louder. Rin hurried Haru along. Each minute that went by, his body felt heavier. Haru’s breathing did improve, but it didn’t feel like he could support himself any better than when they started. Unfortunately, they were closer to Rin’s apartment than they were to Haru’s house. He was sure they were after Rin because he never returned home from his second visit to the café. Someone was probably waiting at his door at that very minute.

Sousuke was likely worried and talked Seijuro into deploying a few of their team members to search for him. How uncharacteristic of Rin to not make contact all day. He was nearly begging Sousuke to get back to work this morning, and then to turn around and cut communications completely? He could kick himself. This entire situation was his fault. He put Haru’s life in danger. With his free hand, Rin began patting his pockets in search for his phone. Maybe if he sent a quick text to Sousuke this whole mess would clear up. When his fingers brushed against the familiar feel of his electronic device in his back pocket, he deflated. He pulled it out of his damp pants in frustration. His ass was in the water as he was making out with Haru. Knowing the end result, he tried to push a few buttons to see if it would somehow spring back to life. A blank screen greeted him dismissively. Resisting every urge not to toss the useless thing against the concrete, he angrily pushed it back into his pocket trying to make a mental note to throw it into some rice when they got back to Haru’s.

“Do you need to use my phone?” Haru asked, his lifeless voice earlier almost a distant memory.

“Nah, I think I better just stay on the down low for a few hours.” _Or days_ , Rin thought scratching his head. Sand sprinkled to the ground with every movement. He would need a shower and a place to stay if that was his plan. He already put enough on Haru’s plate to ask. There must be a nearby hotel or something he could stay at for the time being. At least until Haru’s identity was safe.

“You can stay at my place,” Haru offered.

Rin was about to decline when his red eyes met Haru’s blue stare. His heart stopped once again. Why did he let Haru do this to him, wreaking havoc on his mind and body with every glance? He tuned him entirely to mush. Rin had to wonder if this was what love was like? “Haru…” he began unsure of the words he needed to say without sounding inconsiderate.

“You’re obviously exhausted. We’ve slowed our pace considerably since we started up the mountain.”

“Maybe if I didn’t have to haul your heavy ass around,” Rin shot. He didn’t have any room to complain but he felt like Haru could at least help him more than what he has on their trip home. Unexpectedly, Haru shoved him away. Rin stumbled a few steps to regain his balance. His eyes were wide with shock. A simple insult at Sousuke would’ve gained him an elbow to the ribs and a hearty laugh, but what Haru just did pulled insufferably at his gut.

“I’ll walk on my own if that’s what you want.” He could tell Haru was unstable on his feet and slightly hurt by his comment. But as he went to take another step, the merman’s knee buckled under him. He was back on the pavement in seconds. Rin didn’t realize the shape Haru was in until that moment. It was much worse than he originally thought.

“That isn’t what I want, you dumbass,” Rin said has he went to aid his friend. Haru turned his head away at first, refusing Rin’s help. “I was just trying to lighten up the mood a little.” When Haru still refused to budge, Rin’s impatience returned. “Oh for the love of god…” With one good heave, he pulled Haru onto his back. They were getting back to his house whether he wanted Rin’s help or not. He just had to think of it as a version of the workouts he loved to do. Carrying extra weight on your back was a good way to strengthen your legs.

Haru’s words broke him. “Piggyback ride? I didn’t know you were into childish games. Does it turn you on or something?” Resisting every urge to treat Haru the same as his damaged phone, Rin continued. His face was beet red. He bit his tongue so hard he could taste the blood in his mouth. He could almost feel the smugness leeching off of Haru as he trekked up the mountain. His friend, if he could call him that, was enjoying this way too much. Rin began to think Haru deliberately put him in these situations just to see how he would react. At first, he didn’t think the dark haired man was smart enough to play as the fool, but the longer he thought things through, the more Rin realized that maybe he was just a pawn in the life of Haruka Nanase.

Maybe he would come to regret his decision, tracking him down after lunch, following him back to the ocean, and possibly staying at his own home after what occurred on the beach just an hour ago. But Rin was certain that his life would never be the same. Whether he stayed in Haru’s world or left without another say in the matter, he was never going to be the Rin that existed before emerging from the tides that fateful night.

“Rin?” Haru’s voice broke through his mindset. Rin had significantly calmed since picking Haru off the ground.

“Yeah?”

Haru was silent for a bit. Rin wasn’t sure if he was just pulling him out of his dream state or trying to say something meaningful to him. “Do you ever meet someone and they instantly change your life?”

Rin could’ve laughed. The irony was too much for him to admit. He could feel the warmth returning to his face. Haru wasn’t in his head. Rin just needed to remember that. “Sure,” he finally said, his words leaving his mouth like hellfire. Did he actually sound convincing? He could’ve sworn up and down that the sudden over-sensitivity of Haru’s body against his back getting to his brain. He put off so much heat. He felt so comfortable, regardless of weight, against him, like a puzzle piece that had finally found its perfect match.

“I’ve been watching you for years coming and going at the café. It was no surprise that you didn’t notice me in the kitchen. But that night…it was like fate brought us together, breaking that invisible barrier that existed between our worlds.”

Rin’s mind blanked. Haru really was talking about them. His heart rate was running a mile a minute causing lightheadedness and fatigue. If he knew Haru could walk on his own, he might’ve dropped him on the spot. The realness of the situation was upsetting in so many ways. He wished he could’ve met Haru in different circumstances. Everything was happening so fast, Rin wasn’t even sure if this was his true nature or his heart’s deepest desire to finally break away. Should he follow his heart? Or logically follow his brain? One led him to Haru and the other away. Would his heart even let him leave?

Every ounce of his body wanted everything that Haru wreaked upon his senses on the beach and more. But his brain was tugging at him; trying to remind him that reality existed beyond what he was currently experiencing. Maybe this was why he never had a meaningful relationship with anyone. His work was incredibly important. It was something Rin really enjoyed. To take time away from it was equivalent to wasting his time and energy. At least that was what the old Rin would’ve thought. When his journey began this morning, he distinctively remembered putting work on the side to figure his mystery out. For all intents and purposes, he did. He found his rescuer. He learned how he miraculously survived that night. But why didn’t he feel satisfied? Was this his brain’s doing or his heart’s?

Haru slipped out of Rin’s grip, hitting the ground hard. Somehow he managed to stay on his feet. They had reached his home. Where did the time go? He must’ve felt Rin’s apprehension because he chose his next words wisely. “You don’t have to come in or stay by any means. I can understand that all of this is a lot to take in, especially in a short timeframe. I haven’t been thinking about how you’re feeling through all of this and throwing myself at you when you don’t really know me could be causing all of your uneasiness and grief.” He hobbled to his door, pulling his keys out of his pocket as he went. When he turned back to look Rin in the eye, a small smile was on his face, his skin was red under the nearby streetlamp. “But you’re more than welcome to come by anytime. My door will always be open for you.”

Rin was sure Haru knew just what he was thinking, yet took himself from the situation to better the state of things. That smile couldn’t fool Rin; his own words pained him. Haru didn’t want Rin to leave. Their relationship was just beginning like a flower that had yet to bloom. Why he ever thought he could walk away from this was well beyond him, and knowing that moments ago he about did pulled at his heartstrings.

Haru turned his back to him signaling he said all he needed while inserting the key into the lock. Rin was upon him in seconds. He pulled Haru away from the door just to push him back against it. Their faces were inches apart. Rin wasted no times with words. He didn’t even know what he could say. Their lips touched, and at that moment it all made sense again. This time Rin was the one feeling Haru up. He had one hand partially down his pants in the back and the other teasing the sensitive skin around Haru’s nipple. If the merman felt guilty about causing him upset, then Rin decided he was taking the lead to clarify that this was exactly what he wanted right now. He would have to thank fate or the universe later for bringing them together, but right now there was nothing he wanted than to be completely consumed by the desire only Haru could provide him.

And for fucks sake, he was way too horny to be thinking about anything else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Teeheheehehehehehehe.  
> Yeah. The next chapter is DEFINITELY nsfw. >:D
> 
>  
> 
> And because I feel guilty for withholding all of it's glory, it'll probably be posted early next week! Happy (almost) weekend everyone!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember me saying that 2018 was going to be the year I stepped out of my comfort zone? Well, sharing my writing was one part of that. Another would be this: This mother 'effing chapter.
> 
> I'm sorry if it's not good or inaccurate or anything. It's not too often I write about things such as sex/rape/etc. so I guess you can say I'm a "novice" in that regard. It was interesting to write to say the least and it definitely took a lot longer to write than most of the other chapters!
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway, enjoy! It's early thanks to ciprianoivashkov!! :) I'll get another one out probably mid-week or so.

Somehow they managed to get inside. Not once did their lips break or their bodies stop touching. Rin couldn’t get enough, even now. Using his foot, he accurately slid the door closed before locking it behind him. Haru was already pulling clothes off of Rin’s skin, making quick work of the very small barrier that separated them. He pushed his chest flush against Rin’s, running his hands across the muscles layering his body. Damn did he feel good. Goosebumps covered his skin in Haru’s wake. Only their pants remained and Haru had decided that they needed to go as well. So much for taking things a little slower for the sake of Rin’s conscious flow.

Before he could get his second hand at the button that secured one of the last articles of clothing he had on, Rin grabbed Haru under his ass and began to carry him upstairs. Instinctively, Haru hooked his legs behind his back enjoying the ride. Rin was determined this was going to be done right, and fucking it out in the middle of the floor just inside the front door seemed a little hasty for Rin’s taste.

He struggled up the stairs. Haru was making sure that every ounce of his attention was on Rin. He was kissing Rin’s lips, then his neck, and then back to his lips, running his tongue across his teeth. While they were on the beach, Rin thought Haru was destroying his senses. He couldn’t have imagined how much more Haru could consume. He was shocked a simple word could compute in his head during this heated moment.

_More_.

He absolutely needed more. More kisses, more sensual touching, more Haru. He threw him onto his bed taking only a few seconds to appreciate the look he was giving him. How stunning the look of want was plastered onto his pale skin, the burning of his deep blue eyes. He hoped that this was something he could experience more than just this once. Maybe even for the rest of his life. He slipped into the slight gap between Haru’s legs meeting his lips in another heated embrace. Rin could feel how eager he was, how hard he had become in the short time they had been touching. He rubbed his own erection against his sending him into a spiral of elation. For all he knew, this, to Haru, could be three years of pent up frustrations of finally embracing someone he admired that didn’t even realize he existed. Rin felt like trash, horny as fuck trash for not noticing him sooner. How different things could’ve been. How many more times could they’ve had each other in that time frame?

Rin’s fingers started working on Haru’s pants. It was easier for him since he was still wearing sweatpants from his earlier run. Curling his fingers around the waistband, he pulled until the material was past his hips, releasing Haru’s hard dick from confinement. He paused. Everything became brutally real. His fingers clung to the stretchy gray fabric turning white with pressure. To him, this was the turning point. If he continued, he would have to suffer or bask the consequences of what could potentially follow.

Haru sensed his hesitation and propped himself onto his elbows. Rin could admire his flexed abs all day, but this wasn’t the time.

“Rin?” Haru’s voice reached his ears slamming him into next week. He suddenly felt like someone sucker-punched him in the gut. What could he say? If he voiced his concerns, he worried they would stop. And he knew he wouldn’t be content if this was all he received. “We don’t have to continue, you can sto– ” Rin didn’t let Haru’s words exit his mouth. The O in stop suddenly turned into a moan. He had his erection in his hand. Rin was in total control. Haru tilted his head back letting another groan escape as Rin placed his lips over the tip of his penis.

It was decided. He was following his heart for once in his life and Haru better damn well appreciate it. Rin slid his mouth over the shaft. He chuckled as the salty flavor entered his mouth. He may not have known Haru for very long, but the taste seemed to suit him well. A foreign hand gripped his hair tangling into his red locks as he continued. Up and down he went, and each moan Haru let slip from his lips made him believe his decision was for the best. No amount of hardship could sustain the amount of pleasure he was giving Haru, and how much satisfaction he was getting in return. Rin wouldn’t mind giving and taking this trilling indulgence for the rest of his life. Rin’s heart belonged to Haru now, and, if Haru would let him, would gladly accept his in return.

The merman became impatient, pulling at Rin’s hair in an attempt to remove the severe amount of pleasure he was expelling on his dick. This was too one sided and he didn’t want to cum this quickly. When Rin refused, Haru brought his other hand to his face, gently tugging in an upward direction until he finally released his prey. Their lips met again. Haru couldn’t get enough of Rin’s soft lips. They felt perfect against his like they were meant to kiss for the rest of their lives.

Rin lost his thoughts in Haru’s embrace. It wasn’t until he could feel him tugging at his pants again did he realize the trap he played into. He was beginning to fully comprehend Haru’s aptitude at playing the field. He pushed forward to get Rin’s body in a better position to remove the clothing. All Rin could do was oblige. He couldn’t ignore the constant heartbeat pumping blood through his veins. He could feel each beat pulse through his dick. He was beyond hard with desire and want. And knowing Haru was just as excited as he was made him all the hornier. He needed a release.

Haru finally slipped Rin’s pants over his ass, his erection bouncing from the sudden liberation. He couldn’t tell for sure, but it looked like he had gotten even harder when Haru’s eyes couldn’t leave the sight of his cock.

“You did enjoy that piggyback ride a little too much, didn’t you Rin? You kinky bastard.” Haru’s lips curled into a cocky smile. God how Rin wanted to fuck that look right off of his face.

“Shut up,” Rin snapped, his face turning red in embarrassment. He wasn’t convincing himself that it wasn’t true and Haru was eating his awkward and uncomfortable feelings right up.

Haru had shifted to the edge of the bed for better access, sliding his hands across Rin’s skin from hips to chest feeling every bump and irregularity his muscles created. Rin held his breath in anticipation. His thumbs brushed the tips of his nipples, gentle at first before slowly adding pressure with the rising tension between them. He released one hand to grasp firmly on Rin’s dick only to place his own mouth on his rigid nipple. Circling his darkened areola teasingly with his tongue, Haru began to rub his erection until he forced a pleasured whine from Rin’s throat.

Finally releasing his lips from his chest, Haru’s eyes met Rin’s. “Not so tough now,” he surmised, quickening the pace of his hand. Rin gripped his shoulders for support moaning louder. Haru found his lips again, pushing his tongue into Rin’s mouth suppressing his whimpers. The red head began to feel like a carbonated drink that had been shaken too much. He was receiving an excessive amount of pleasure from Haru but he couldn’t release it. Not yet anyway.

“Fuck this,” Rin groaned sourly, pulling his body from Haru’s grasp. He didn’t want to end the fun, but he had enough. Pushing Haru back against the bed, Rin climbed onto the mattress, squaring up Haru’s hips. His hand brushed against the cold bottle of lube that somehow miraculously appeared at his side. _Haruka…_ He couldn’t take the pent up feelings any longer. He was leaking pre-cum like a goddamn waterfall. If he didn’t get his way with the merman, he would surely self destruct. Grabbing the lube, he popped the cap and squeezed some of the liquid into his hand, running his palm over his cock.

Rin became exceedingly aware of how hard they were breathing, how much each of them wanted, needed even, each other. The world around them existed as a separate being. While everyone else continued their nightly schedules, the two men froze in time. Nothing else mattered, not the sirens, not the screaming, not the vibrating phone, not even the homeless man digging through the trash. It was all city background noise merging into it’s own universe. Outside of it all was just the two of them.

He slowly pushed in; savoring everything Haru would ever be able to give him. He was tight. So tight that Rin had to resist the urge to cum just from sliding inside. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced in his life. They both moaned in perfect synchronization, unable to fully put into words how perfect it felt.

“Fucking Christ,” Rin huffed falling on top of Haru to savor every inch. Their lips met again as he thrust a second time. Haru wrapped his arms around the red head’s shoulders as Rin entwined his fingers into his silky, dark locks. He pushed again.

“More, Rin,” Haru begged utterly breathless. “Give me more.”

He couldn’t hold back regardless of what Haru asked. He quickened his pace, more confident of what he was doing and how Haru felt because of it. They became lost within each other, sweaty bodies touching, tongue on tongue, intense breathing, and Haru’s overly hard dick partially smashed between them. Rin felt a little guilty about his lack of attention on that particular part of his lover’s body. He seemed to be enjoying Rin fucking him as is, but it didn’t quite feel complete. Attempting to support himself on one arm, Rin drug his hand to Haru’s cock making sure he brushed his nipple on the way down, grabbed its glorious length, and began rubbing. He felt amazing in his grip.

Haru bit into his lip as Rin came, his body convulsing with ecstasy from his orgasm. He cussed under his breath, not wanting to be the first to succumb to the pleasure. Struggling to rub Haru’s dick while continually thrusting, he began to wonder if it was even going to be enough. Stealing Haru’s earlier move, he broke his lips free from Haru’s teeth and tangling arms and brought his mouth down to his erected nipple. Using his free hand to tease one, he began to use his mouth to please the other. Haru arched his back gripping the sheets for the duration of the ride. Rin could tell he was breaking. Sure enough, he came hard, covering himself and Rin in the translucent fluid. The policeman collapsed, completely exhausted. He couldn’t even remove his dick from Haru’s ass. He wasn’t even sure if he wanted to. For the next few minutes, they laid in silence listening to each other’s heart beating in the stillness of the moment.

Haru released his fists, wrapping his arms around Rin’s shoulders again. He kissed to top of his head as a silent thank you. Rin’s cheeks flushed. That one action spoke volumes. The urge to suddenly tear up from joy rushed over him. It may have been three long years, but he too was thankful beyond words their lives finally collided.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But wait! THERE'S MORE.
> 
>  
> 
> Today sucked ass. If anyone else had a shitty day, I hope this chapter makes it better!

Rin peeled his eyes open. A sudden panic rushed over him. Where was he? What time was it? Why hadn’t his alarm woken him up? He shot up, taking in his surroundings until his eyes fell on the sleeping man next to him. Calmness swept over him just as quickly as it had been snatched away. Haru looked beautiful in the morning light. It was too early to be getting up, but the very beginning rays of sun were fighting their way through the crack in the bedroom curtains creating a sunbeam that stretched the width of the room. Dust particles danced in its light creating a shimmer effect.

The red head closed his eyes remembering everything that transpired the night before. His heart rate increased as the memories flooded back. He was getting hard thinking about it. Rubbing the tiredness from his eyes, Rin decided to start his day instead of accidentally waking Haru, though he felt he could watch the dark haired man sleep forever. He still needed to get his phone into rice knowing that Sousuke and the others were most likely worried about him.

Sneaking through Haru’s bedroom door after fishing for his phone in the damp pile of clothes on the floor, Rin made his way quietly down the stairs. More of their clothing greeted him at the landing. He blushed, remembering how desperate they were for each other. Haru almost couldn’t wait he was so anxious. Leaving them there, Rin sauntered into the kitchen. He began opening cabinets and drawers looking for rice. Once found, he dumped enough into a bowl to bury his phone into the uncooked white seeds. He waited five minutes hoping to see some progress. The black screen taunted him. Running a frustrated hand through his hair, he knocked loose more sand from the previous day.

He stared dismissively at the tiny grains of crushed shells. He hoped Haru didn’t mind him taking a shower at his place because he really needed one. He went back the way he came in search of a bathroom, admiring how well kept Haru’s house was. Rin glanced at some of the pictures on display. One caught his eye. Four men stood in a row in their swimming suits wearing gold medals. The picture was slightly dated, probably from when they were in high school. He recognized Haru and Makoto instantly, but the other two he had never met. The blond haired, coral-eyed teen was short with a silly grin on his face. He had his fingers in a peace sign obviously overly excited that they had won their relay. The other was a dark haired, purple-eyed student with red glasses. The blush that covered his cheeks was unmistakable. They were overcome with joy from their victory. Haru had never told him he used to swim. Rin was very competitive as a high school swimmer too. He decided to change his career path to help people by serving the law instead of swimming at the next level. Haru must’ve had his own reasoning. Maybe his fishtail didn’t appear until he graduated? However it panned out, he probably was an excellent swimmer. Rin was a little upset he didn’t get to compete against him.

He wondered if this would ever become serious enough to meet Haru’s friends. Trying to stomach the feeling of a one night stand followed quickly by rejection once the merman awoke, Rin continued the search for the bathroom. It was hidden at the back of the house, a quaint tiled room with a tub against the rear wall. Already naked from last night, Rin turned the water on hot and waited. The showerhead sputtered to life kicking out the air bubbles from its previous use. Not long after, steam filled in the still air signaling it was ready. Pulling the shower curtain closed, Rin practically rejoiced when he stepped under the current. Not only did Haru’s shower have excellent water pressure, but the water was way hotter than at his own apartment too. He debated turning the temperature down as it began to feel like it was blistering his skin.

Borrowing the shampoo lazily sitting on the edge of the bathtub, Rin began to scrub the liquid into his red hair lathering it until bubbles were slipping down his torso. He could sigh in contentment it felt so good. There was nothing like cleanliness after being dirty for so long. He stepped back under the water to wash the shampoo from his hair when he felt an alien touch slide across his hips. Jumping from the start, he turned to face Haru who somehow managed to climb into the shower unheard and unnoticed. He pecked Rin on the cheek before sliding his lips across his wet shoulder. Even under the heated water, goose bumps appeared across his skin following Haru’s kisses.

He reached the base of Rin’s neck before gently pulling his hips toward his own. His erection slipped vertically between his ass cheeks. The red head’s breath caught in his throat waiting on Haru’s next move. With his senses on high alert, he could feel everything. Haru’s chest lightly brushing against his own, his fingers pressed against the bones of his hips securing him where he stood, his dick rubbing up and down between his cheeks, and even the tickle of his breath against the back of the neck. It pulled in his gut. All of the same feelings from last night returned at full force. He had to place a hand against the tiled wall to steady himself.

“Dammit, Haru,” he began, as his own dick throbbed with want and desire. “You’re awfully greedy for someone you just met.”

He could feel his snicker more than hear it. “Says the man who’s using _my_ rice to fix his phone and _my_ shampoo in _my_ shower.”

“I’m beginning to think you offered your house to shelter me whenever I wanted for no reason at all,” Rin cooed, playing into Haru’s little game.

“My house will always be open for you,” Haru repeated from last night. His body relaxed and the pressure on Rin’s hips decreased. The red head turned to face the merman partially shocked by his sudden recoil. He couldn’t even look him in the eye. His blue stare downcast, he mumbled, “I’m a little surprised you’re still here.”

Rin was taken aback with his words. Haru seemed to always find a way to make his stomach twist into knots. He felt incredibly guilty for speaking against his hospitality regardless of being instigated. Rin didn’t realize how much he meant to Haru until this moment. His face was burning with embarrassment. How could he form words to describe how he was feeling? Did it seem like just a whim to the dark haired man? Judging by his response, Haru must’ve figured Rin would’ve ducked out by now.

“You saved my life,” Rin began, stumbling over his words. “How could I just walk out after… _that_?” He tried to reference last night but his voice faltered. He must’ve looked completely ridiculous. He was so flustered when it came to talking about sex. Swallowing his pride, he continued unsure of where his words were even going. “You’ve shown me more in the last twenty four hours than anyone has ever in their life, and I’m not talking about your fishtail either.” He glanced Haru over with that last comment his eyes hovering too long over his still hard dick. The water was hitting him dead on since Rin stepped forward to brace himself against the wall. He looked perfect doused in water. It accented his muscles and the curves of his body incredibly well. But something seemed odd about the situation. Haru was still standing on two legs. “Speaking of…why aren’t you changing?”

A smile curled at the corners of his lips. “If I transformed with every touch of regular water, I would never be human. It’s the salty ocean water that does it, and to my knowledge, it’s the only thing that can.”

Rin partially squatted to run his hands across Haru’s legs to make sure it wasn’t a parlor trick. He had never had the chance to touch Haru’s legs soaking wet before, and he wondered what they felt like. After a few seconds, his curiosity was satisfied. Rin stood back to his full height slightly surprised Haru didn’t try anything. His lips housed a stupid grin he’d love to fuck off of his face though. He sighed, “Look, I’ve never really have had a relationship before and to walk out after you saving my life, telling me your deepest secret, and…sex, I don’t know if I could bear it. I know you have strong feelings for me and I know I feel the same so…” He trailed off still unsure how to put words to his feelings.

Haru pushed his lips against Rin’s while wrapping his arms around his body. He pulled him into a tight embrace. They held their bodies against each other until Rin had to pull himself away for air. Haru planted a kiss on his nose.

“I didn’t want to come on too strongly. I was afraid I would scare you.”

Rin chuckled. “Your fishtail took me by surprise, don’t get me wrong. But I wanted it too. And you’re more than welcome to share your heart with me,” Rin’s face turned a deep shade of red, “if you want.” His gaze shifted out of Haru’s line of sight. His blue eyes were swallowing him again and he didn’t particularly like the amount of pressure they were putting him under.

He was anticipating Rin’s words but he wasn’t really sure what to do now that he had heard them first hand. It had been three years of ignored glances and inopportune chance meetings. Watching carefully, Rin continued with his shower, grabbing the second bottle that kept the shampoo company. Trying as hard as he could, the red head was avoiding his stare. He began to lather himself with the soap, his movements a little stiff. Haru felt his body gravitating forward. Rin’s wet body was practically begging to be handled. “My heart, huh?” he whispered the words right next to his ear.

Rin jumped again, first from Haru’s voice tickling his neck and second from his firm grasp on his member.

Haru licked the skin behind Rin’s ear receiving a sharp intake of breath from him. “Are you sure you want it?” He pushed his body against the red head’s again. The soap dripping down his skin acted as a nice lubricant as his slid his dick back between the red head’s ass cheeks. This time, he could feel Rin’s hips grinding against his own.

“God…yes. _Please_.” Supporting himself against the tiled wall for a second time that morning, Rin began to wonder how he had gotten so horny again? He craved Haru, desperate for him. This was slightly different from last night’s experience and it only heated the moment more. The merman was already making quick work of his hardened dick, running his hand up and down its length. But what was worse was how badly he was teasing him from behind. By running his cock between his glutes, Rin could feel how close he was to his asshole. He wanted nothing more than for him to push it in, to be completely devoured by all means of Haru. He wanted him to wreak havoc on his senses to feel the same euphoric feeling as he did the night before. Pushing his hips against his lover’s, he begged for more.

Haru wasted no time. He was obviously on edge entering the shower and their heart to heart clearly did nothing to quell his desires. He slipped the tip of his penis into Rin, smiling at how relaxed he felt. Not only did he want it too, but the red head was just as desperate. Haru slowly pushed his full length into Rin, filling him completely. He pulled a moan deep from Rin’s stomach.

Hearing the animalistic noise pulled at his groin. Haru grabbed a handful of Rin’s wet hair, pulling his head to face the ceiling ultimately opening his airway. “ _Louder_ ,” he hissed, nibbling at the lobe of his ear and down his neck. He pushed hard using his grip on Rin’s dick as leverage.

A low groan exited Rin’s windpipe causing Haru to thrust at a quicker pace. He kept in perfect sync with his hand, pumping the red head’s dick with each plunge. Rin reached a hand behind him to grasp Haru’s hair. The pleasure Haru was giving was building too quickly. He dug his teeth into his lip before yelling as he reached his climax. His cum sprayed the wall in front of him, his body convulsing in ecstasy once more. With a few more thrusts and the twitches he could feel from Rin’s orgasm, Haru buried his cock deep into Rin, expelling everything into his ass. Releasing his grip from the tangled red locks, the merman partially collapsed against Rin’s back letting out a satisfied sigh.

They stood like that breathing heavily for a few minutes. The water was starting to cool. It felt glorious against Haru’s heated body, but he could feel Rin was starting to shiver. Somehow managing to pull himself off of Rin’s back, Haru kissed his shoulder before opening the shower curtain for him.

Rin slowly turned around. His face was completely flushed. If Haru were to blow on him he might tumble over. “Damn, Haru,” he breathed. It was exactly what he had wished for, and Haru delivered perfectly.

“Get out before you freeze to death,” Haru smiled. Their lips met as Rin scooted past him to step out of the bathtub.

“I’m guessing you like colder water?” Rin asked, trying to make conversation. He found that Haru had placed a second towel on a nearby hook. He took it gladly, wiping the moisture from his skin.

“I do like to swim in the ocean so I guess I could say I like it colder. It’s more that I can’t stand the heat.”

Rin chuckled tying the towel around his waist. He felt like he could sleep for another few hours. After he checked in with the precinct to make sure everything was okay, he would have to ponder the idea. Realizing that he solved his internal mystery, his recovery leave may as well be spent doing just that.

The tap suddenly turned off and the shower curtain was drawn back. Haru stood basking in the morning light. Rin could only stare. He stepped over the small ledge of the bathtub and reached past Rin to grab the second towel.

“If you don’t close your mouth it might stay that way,” Haru warned with a smile.

Rin kicked him in the ass after being called out for his behavior. “Very funny.”

“Feel free to stay as long as you like, but I have to work today.”

The words surprised Rin. Real life did exist beyond these walls, and he almost forgot. Who was he turning into? “Oh…yeah,” he voiced his unease. Something wasn’t settling in his stomach. He wasn’t sure if it was Haru’s words or something else entirely. Maybe it was because he didn’t eat breakfast yet?

“Is everything okay?”

The question didn’t astound Rin. Haru had spent so long watching him from afar, he was sure he would pick up on the subtle changes in his attitude and demeanor. In some ways Rin wondered if he would make a good addition to the police force. He could only answer honestly. “I’m not sure.”

Haru paused with the red head’s words. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

Rin pulled himself from his thoughts to meet Haru’s concerned look. He tried his best to smile but it quickly faded. “No. You’ve been wonderful.”

Silence spread between them. The sound of the small dribble of the faucet was the only sound to cut through the quiet. Then Rin heard it, the sound of a frantically vibrating phone. Haru must’ve too because their eyes met again before Rin was out the bathroom door at full speed. He ran straight into the kitchen losing his towel in the process. Haru was quick to follow, sensing the foreboding vibes seeping from Rin’s very core.

He pulled his phone from the bed of rice spilling it everywhere. With each passing minute more and more notifications appeared on his suddenly alive screen. Most of the messages were from Sousuke, some appeared from Ai and Momo. When Seijuro’s name displayed with a few missed calls and voicemails to match, the feeling in his gut worsened. Unsure of where to begin, he selected his Chief’s first message.

All of the blood drained from his face. He placed a shaking hand to his mouth before sliding it through his damp hair. Realizing all too late that Ai was merely trying to find Rin last night due to the situation at hand, the policeman felt dizzy. He slowly sunk to the floor unable to support himself any longer. Seijuro’s voice was still speaking as the phone was brought to his lap.

Haru watched the events unfolding. It wasn’t his place to ask what could possibly send Rin into such a state. He figured it was work related but even then he could’ve been mistaken. He didn’t know if Rin had a family, or what kind of friend life he led. The look could’ve been created by any number of things. He placed a reassuring hand on Rin’s shoulder. It must’ve pulled him out of his stupor.

Rin turned his sickened gaze to meet Haru’s deep blue eyes. What had he done? Tears began to well at the corners of his beautiful red eyes. “I…”

“It’ll be okay, Rin,” Haru said, pulling the red head into a tight hug. His body was limp under his grasp. It was starting to worry Haru.

Before he knew it, Rin was sobbing into his chest. Between chokes, he managed, “I’ve failed.” He couldn’t let the rest of the words escape his lips. The stuck in his throat like cough syrup. Even without an explanation to his actions, Haru was trying to comfort him. It pulled at his gut more. He didn’t deserve his love, his kindness, or his understanding and patience. It was his fault. Because he ran away from his friend to try and protect Haru last night, he was to blame. Because he chose love over work in that heated moment, another person fell victim to him…

The Fine Diner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens??!?! <\--- I'm not even sure and it's my story?
> 
> Basically less smut and more plot development??? But fluff is a very active piece?!?
> 
> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
>  
> 
> Hope you liked it!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: descriptions of blood and gore ahead. It's brief, but there.
> 
> ((I'll try to keep pre-warning for more serious shit. But as a heads up, I'm rather forgetful! This story is about a serial cannibal...it's just going to be there. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ ))

Another buzz from Rin’s phone signaled a received message. It jolted them both. The red head ripped himself from Haru’s comforting grip to snatch the device into his hand. It was delayed from the previous hundred or so notifications meaning that this could be a new message.

It was.

“Sousuke…” Rin breathed, opening the text to read the entirety of it. He skimmed over most of the words but processed enough to understand how his partner was feeling and what had already transpired that morning. It was early, but Rin was sure they all spent the night at the department. He got to his feet rather quickly refusing to tear his eyes from the screen. Rushed, he said, “I have to go.”

“Rin,” Haru started, his voice trailing as their eyes finally met. There were so many emotions burning through the red irises that Haru remained speechless, at least until his eyes dropped to Rin’s naked body.

Noticing how bare his skin was, Rin’s face flushed. “Can I borrow some clothes?”

“Sure.”

Rin followed Haru back up the stairs. He felt the merman deserved an explanation for his sudden brashly attitude. There were certain rules as to what you could share, and couldn’t, with the significant people in your life when it came to police work. He was skirting the line even mentioning anything. It would be best if he could keep his lips tight, but those words were sitting on the tip of his tongue. Any other mention would certainly cause him to spill.

Haru opened his closet door for Rin to shop around. He quickly found a pair of tight jeans and a loose shirt to throw on. Haru’s clothes didn’t fit perfectly, but they were going to have to do for the time being. He grabbed a jacket to try and dress up his outfit a little more for his Chief since he didn’t have the time to get his uniform. Rin knew he needed to go home at some point to check on his own apartment. He couldn’t stay at Haru’s forever.

Or could he?

He shook the thought from his mind. There were more important things to be worrying about and that was the last on the list. He threw the clothes on hastily attempting to tame his maroon locks. Without the commodity of having a hairdryer at his fingertips, his air-dried, tangled nest was the best it was going to be.

“I don’t know when I’ll be back,” he promised Haru. At least his intentions now were to return, Rin just wasn’t sure when that time would be. “I’m sorry I can’t stay. There’s an issue at work and– ” The red head caught himself just in time. Taking in a shaky breath and wiping the rest of the tears off of his red cheeks, he continued more carefully, “And I don’t know how long it’ll take to fix the situation.”

“So you’re saying don’t wait on your return, is that it?” Haru asked. A slight downturn to his lips allowed Rin to understand what his words sounded like to the dark haired man. “If you didn’t like what happened last night, or you don’t want anything to do with me, I’d rather you just tell me.”

Rin’s face became flushed as he fully realized what Haru was thinking. He shook his head violently in protest. “That’s not what I meant!” Another vibrating notification drew his attention to his phone. “I just…” Rin opened the message and stood silently for a few seconds.

A hand covered the screen, grabbed onto his fingers, and pushed them away from Rin’s stare. Slightly aggravated from the sudden attack, Rin looked at Haru who was way too close for comfort. He closed the distance between them in mere milliseconds.

“I just want to hear you say it.”

“Haru I– ”

“Say it,” Haru stated again, much more firmly. He closed the gap so their noses were touching. Rin could feel his lips tingling. He wanted nothing more than to throw his phone back into the ocean so he could forget about the mess that was waiting for him when he made it to the department and kiss the man in front of him. Rin craved what he could do to him, how his skin felt against his own, that glorious sensation of being filled completely to the brim with pleasure.

Rin pushed forward. He couldn’t stand it. And just as their lips collided, Haru pulled back. A rather upset look greeted his red eyes when he finally opened them in disappointment. Grudgingly, he ripped his hand from Haru’s grip.

“ _Say it_.”

Stifling the urge to toss a few cuss words at Haru, Rin looked him dead in the eye and said, “I’m coming back, I promise. I will see you again soon. I just don’t know when _soon_ will be.”

Satisfied with Rin’s words, Haru smiled. He pecked him on the lips before shoving him out his bedroom door. “Hey!” Rin protested. Discontented with the kiss he was given, he turned back to the merman. Haru’s fingers were assaulting his distinguished red phone. How did he even get a hold of that? Realizing that he must’ve swiped it while Rin aggressively pulled his hand away, a sour look covered his face. He was falling for a dirty little thief.

“Text or call me when you’re free.” With a quick toss, Rin caught his phone midair. He shot Haru a nasty look once his device was secure in his hands. His only source of communication could’ve hit the floor and died in an instant. Peaking at the information Haru had entered, he confirmed his new contact.

“Don’t take any detours on your way to and from work today,” Rin warned.

“If you want to arrest me, I get off at eight.”

“Step out of line and I might have to,” Rin smiled honestly.

His toothy grin pulled an ornery smirk out of Haru. “I’m looking forward to it.”

 

* * *

 

“I take full responsibility, sir.” Rin was folded at his abdomen in a full bow begging for his peers’ apology. It didn’t take long for him to reach the station, but once he did, he regretting racing there. What awaited him beyond the front doors would be hellish, but what Rin didn’t expect were the looks everyone was giving him. Their entire department stopped their work to watch the events unfold.

There were a lot of mixed emotions around the room. Ai looked like he was about to burst into another round of tears. Sousuke wouldn’t even make eye contact. Rin could about see the anger and frustration seeping out of his very being. Momo was so shocked by his superior’s actions he stood unmoving mouth agape.

Seijuro’s look was indistinguishable. The red head was specifically asking for his accepting words. He stood tall, strong arms crossed over his chest. His golden stare bore deep into the top of Rin’s head. What in the world was he thinking coming to the office dressed as he was? He shouldn’t have had the audacity to come clad in civilian clothes, yet alone garments that didn’t even belong to the wearer.

“Don’t think you’ll get away without an explanation for your actions. We are all _very_ confused as to why you ran away from Aiichiro last night.”

Rin bit his tongue. Whatever Ai told their Chief was the only side of the story Seijuro knew. Whether Haru was mentioned or not was a huge mystery. He had to wonder where the gray haired man’s loyalties lied when push came to shove.

Seijuro continued, “And why haven’t you made any attempt to contact us back?”

“My phone fell into the ocean, sir,” Rin said apologetically. He wasn’t telling a lie per se, but it felt horrible coming from his lips. The last thing he wanted was to dig himself into a hole to protect Haru if Seijuro already knew about him. “I only received your messages this morning. I came straight away.”

“A woman is dead, Rin.” Sousuke’s words were cold and relentless.

Seijuro lifted a hand to silence his underling. “Your apology is accepted. You will be in my office at the end of the day to explain yourself. In the mean time, you’ll be joining Sousuke and I at the morgue.” He sighed as Rin straightened himself back into a standing position. “I hope you ate a good breakfast this morning. She isn’t pretty.”

Rin followed the two men out to Seijuro’s patrol car. Momo and Ai were staying at the station to try and follow leads on their end. The Chief’s words sat unsettled in Rin’s empty stomach. He wished he could’ve had some of Haru’s cooking before he stormed out. Sousuke walked next to him, keeping in time with his footsteps. Rin wanted to say something, but the words weren’t forming. The awkward tension was palpable. Thankfully, their odd number meant they would have to split themselves between the front and back seats. To fill Rin in on the situation, Seijuro kindly asked Sousuke to sit in the back.

They had been on the road for a few minutes before the red head could finally form his thoughts into words. “Why a woman?” he asked realizing how dry his mouth was. The earlier mention of gender had him stumped. “Are you sure this is our serial cannibal?”

“Did you not read any of the messages I left you?” Sousuke hissed bitterly.

“I– ”

Seijuro cut Rin off before he could make a retort. “Don’t even bother. It’ll be easier for us to fill you in on the way than have to listen to our squabbled messages. As the situation unfolded itself in the early hours of the morning, we became a little hectic under the stress.”

Rin could hear Sousuke click his tongue in frustration for being equally shut down as his partner had been. Within the mass quantity of messages still sitting unread on Rin’s phone was the possible answer to his sour mood. Maybe it was his lack of response during the whole incident causing it. He disliked Sousuke like this. They loved to bicker but at this point it was borderline hostile brawl.

“We received the call around 10 PM last night.” The car became overly silent as both sets of eyes fell onto the driver. “Whoever’s voice was reaching us from the other end is still largely unknown. We strongly believe it was our proposed killer, The Fine Diner, but we have no solid evidence to back that theory up at the moment. He wasn’t on the line for long, certainly not long enough for us to trace the call.” Seijuro became quiet as his face drained of color. Quietly, he continued, “He called the department’s phone number directly. The panic he planned to cause was intentional to say the least.”

“What did he say?” Rin asked, knowing he was going to get the answer. He couldn’t stand the way Seijuro was acting at the moment. Why did he run from Aiichiro? A life could have been saved.

Sousuke snorted, “What didn’t he?”

“He told us that by the morning, we would have another one of his trophies to examine.”

“But not just any trophy,” Sousuke added.

Seijuro swallowed audibly. “He told us to keep our families close, and our friends closer.”

Rin shifted his eyes back and forth between the two men in the car. It was obvious they were very torn up about the killer’s words. “He didn’t phrase that right,” Rin noted aloud.

“A blatant observation, but yes. I believe the saying roughly goes, ‘Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.’”

Lifting a hand to his chin, Rin tried to think about the words. It was noticed by more than one person, obvious to say the least, but why say them wrong if not intended? What kind of path would this lead them down?

“We thought you were done for,” Sousuke blurted at last.

Rin dropped his hand to his lap as his eyes widened, falling on his partner’s teal gaze. He was very surprised by his comment but finally understood their unease about the killer’s words. Knowing full well what he heard, Rin found himself asking, “What?”

Seijuro took back the reigns, continuing his story. “Our first thought was that you were his next target. As the only one in the department specifically on this case that wasn’t currently working, we had a strong feeling he was going after you.”

“And when we tried to contact you, you didn’t answer. It solidified our gut feeling and we sent everyone out to find you.” The reason for Sousuke’s poor attitude was Rin’s inability to contact them back, sending them into a state of panic on his behalf. Rin’s gut churned guiltily. If he didn’t sit his ass into the water or approach Ai when he called after him, this could’ve been avoided. He felt downright idiotic.

With the natural colors returning on Seijuro’s face, he continued steadier, “When we heard Ai had found you, but you started to run made us worry even more. You loose on the streets without your wits could make you the easiest target alive. Naturally, in the panic, the poor kid lost sight of you and we were back to square one.”

“I’m terribly sorry,” Rin apologized again, his shame exponentially growing.

“It’s to no surprise we didn’t find you. When the call came in that a body was discovered, it was well into the early hours of the morning. We were in a panic, unsure if we even wanted to go to the crime scene. Upon hearing more details, we rushed there. She had been dead for an hour before anyone found her and,” Seijuro paused, hesitant to say more, but continued quietly “what a shape she was in when they did.”

At this moment, Sousuke handed Rin a tall manila envelope sealed by a metal clasp. With shaking hands, Rin proceeded to open it. Inside was the victim’s file. Every detail they had scraped up about her was listed down to her normal routine. Tucked inside the pocket were the pictures from the crime scene. Rin’s face contorted as it lost blood flow. He couldn’t recall a worse looking scenario. Limbs were everywhere, blood splattered up three of the surrounding buildings. Thankfully her blonde hair covered her face, or at least what was left of it. And amongst her spilled organs were three letters spelled out with her intestines: TFD.

“The Fine Diner.” Rin suddenly became thankful he didn’t eat breakfast. It would’ve covered the inside of the patrol car at best. He wanted nothing more than to push the victim’s file back into the folder, to un-see what just burned into his memory. But his eyes refused to divert their gaze elsewhere. Knowing that this wasn’t going to be an easy visit to the morgue, Rin managed to ask, “What kind of sick bastard would do this?”

Seijuro pulled his car into the nearest parking spot. He shut the ignition off before turning to Rin. “We understand this isn’t The Fine Diner’s exact M.O., but we can’t seem to place the blame on someone else. She is pretty cut up for this to be our killer’s work, not to mention that not a single piece of her body was eaten or missing in that regard. Honestly, it reminds me of his earlier killings, like he decided to backtrack his evolution as a serial cannibal. However, it’s too coincidental. The sheer fact that you’re still alive and in good health speaks volumes, especially when we were sure we were going to find you dead. Something happened that night, and maybe you’re side of the story can help explain that.”

The Chief wrenched the door open leaving Rin speechless again. Sousuke quickly followed suit. When the driver car door snapped shut, Rin decided to follow. The lingering thoughts of his potential targeting followed him as he jogged to catch up to his coworkers. He was deeply disturbed by them. If anything, he was sure a target was still painted on his back. At least for the time being he was safe, especially with Seijuro and Sousuke.

What a mess. He probably wouldn’t be able to go back to Haru’s house for a while. Maybe it would be for the best. Who knows what could happen with a psycho killer after him. For all he knew, Haru’s life could be in danger just by having ties with Rin. His face blushed slightly as a peculiar thought popped into his head. Pulling open the glass doors of the morgue, Rin’s face hardened. This wasn’t the place to be thinking about him.

But the possibility existed. Inadvertently, Haru could have saved his life twice now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy weekend, everyone! The plot continues to thicken as more details are uncovered. :) Hopefully not too boring after the last two chapters. However, necessary for plot purposes.
> 
> I'll probably get the next chapter out mid-week again! Might want to bring a seatbelt, it's about to get bumpy.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: graphic descriptions of violence ahead. If I did my job correctly as an author, it's ugly.
> 
>  
> 
> Sooooo, apparently when I said mid-week, I really meant Monday (or Tuesday for some of you). Regardless, please enjoy this hot mess of a chapter. It's um...special? Yeah, let's just go with that. That sounds good.
> 
> If all goes smoothly, I should have the next one out Thursday/Friday! If you have guesses, I'd love to hear them!! If you're just along for the ride, that's cool too. :D

“Hi there!” The chipper voice startled Rin. It certainly wasn’t what he expected on his trip into the morgue. He looked at the short man with striking blond hair and eyes as red as his own. He had seen his smiling face only once before, at Haru’s house. He was one of the four swimmers in the photo. Even with his frequent visits to this lifeless building, Rin couldn’t recall seeing him before. To say it surprised him would be an understatement.

Hoping the shock wasn’t too plastered to his face, Rin replied with a dry-mouthed, “Hello.”

“I’m Nagisa Hazuki, but you can just call me Nagisa. I’m the new Medical Examiner here!” The man took a strong hold onto Rin’s hand and shook it relentlessly.

Minimally, it explained why the red head couldn’t remember the Coroner. Pulling his hand from his surprisingly tight grip, Rin faked a smile. He already decided to focus on the investigation and leave Haru in the back corner of his mind. But with this discovery, thousands of questions were at the forefront of his thoughts. Rightfully so, he couldn’t imagine Haru hanging out with a guy like Nagisa. He was just…a lot. The merman seemed way more reserved and quiet. To him, they looked like complete opposites. Unsure of the relationship they held now matched the one from high school, Rin began to wonder if he should approach him after they investigated the body or skip it altogether. Shaking the thought from his mind, he grabbed a pair of gloves to prep for the impending examination. It was time to concentrate on his job.

The three police officers followed the cheerful Coroner into the examination suite. It was a small, well lit room off to the side of the main hallway. Only one table existed in the middle of the space. Their victim’s body was lying on it waiting for them. “I’ve worked on her all morning. My assistant is running a few tests to see what the cause of death may be. You certainly brought in an interesting one here, Chief.”

Seijuro hummed pulling on his gloves. He was unusually quiet. Rin swallowed his questions. After all, they saw her at the scene of the crime. Even before they walked into the building he saw her mangled body in the photographs. Things would be different here. Nagisa would have cleaned her up with his autopsy. Gathering around the metal table centered in the room, the Coroner stepped forward. The woman was covered in a simple white sheet. The blond carefully pulled the slip back revealing every ounce of brutality that was laid upon her leading up to her death.

Rin bit his lip. His words echoed in the back of his head now causing the room to spin. It may have been worse at the crime scene, but it wasn’t much better here. Bruises covered her body. Half of her skull was crushed in. He wasn’t even sure where her second eye went. She was in horrible shape. Nagisa did the best he could with the body parts they collected. By placing them approximately where they belonged, they had her whole body on the table. However, none of it was attached anymore.

“As you can see, things have progressed in a logical manner.”

“Exactly what part of this is logical, Hazuki?” Sousuke asked, putting the back of his hand to his mouth. His eyebrows crinkled his forehead. Even seeing her like this was upsetting him. Rin’s stomach pulled distressed from witnessing his partner in such a state.

“Just look,” he said with a bright-eyed smile. Someone was enjoying his job a little too much. “In my best defense, as my assistant is currently trying to logically change my mind, she was drugged probably with chloroform. While she fought, she gained a lot of the bruises. Judging by how severe they are, some of them were caused by your killer. Once unconscious, he inflicted multiple stab wounds to her chest ultimately ending her life. You would see a messier look to her lesions if she were awake and feeling every cut, thus the drug. Basically from what I can tell, he grabbed her from behind, drugged her, pulled his knife once she was comatose and began wreaking havoc. Like this.” Demonstrating, Nagisa formed a fist, tilted it like he was holding a knife, and began to make ferocious stabbing motions.

“I think we get it, Hazuki,” Seijuro’s cold words made the blond stop in his tracks, giggle, and rub the back of his head in embarrassment.

“L-like I was saying,” he continued, finally getting his laughing streak into check, “things progressed logically. These thirty seven stab wounds happened around the same time.” Nagisa gestured to her abdomen where the entirety of the puncture wounds existed. “He made quick work of her, or in my own personal opinion, got his frustrations out. They all originated from one person in quick succession of the others, have the same entry angle, and were made from the same weapon.”

“Did you find the murder weapon, Chief?” Rin asked quietly to the side of Nagisa’s complex rendition of the events of last night.

Seijuro shook his head in defeat. “So what happened to the rest of her?” The Chief was referring to her disfigured head and detached limbs. The answer was fairly obvious, but the motive was still unknown. Rin figured the Chief wanted to see what crazy story the Coroner would come up with.

“Right! So after he beat the snot out of her and stabbed her multiple times in the chest, your killer grabbed a second knife and began to dismantle her. The first knife was small. It didn’t have a very large blade. The knife that hacked her limbs off is much larger. Surprisingly, there were no sawing motions to indicate a serrated edge. It looks like your killer just chopped them off, and had to inflict multiple blows to do so. For whatever reason, in between stage one with the small knife and stage two with the larger knife, your man decided to crush half of her skull. Thankfully, she was already dead at that point.” Nagisa’s words drifted off into silence.

A long sigh escaped Seijuro’s lips. He ran a hand through his already slicked back, bright red hair. This situation was a mess from start to finish, and the new Medical Examiner was trying to make light on the subject. Rin questioned if Seijuro was struggling more from the overly excitable man or the victim’s wrecked body.

Keeping calm, the head of the department slowly asked, “You think he was letting his frustrations out on her?”

“You yourself said on the phone this morning that it wasn’t The Fine Diner’s M.O. I took a look at the bodies we’ve autopsied in the past that were created by his handiwork. It’s hard to say for sure if it was your killer, but I can say for a fact that if it were him something went horribly wrong somewhere along the way.”

Rin’s stomach dropped as a realization struck him, “Like if his original target somehow got away.” Rin’s quiet words echoed throughout the suite. He didn’t intend to speak them aloud, but after watching Seijuro and Sousuke stiffened and the blood began to drain from their faces, he realized what he’d done.

The door swung open slamming against the wall causing all four of the men to jump. A grudgingly tall man with red glasses strolled in holding a clipboard with a stack of papers secured under the metal hinge and a file swinging loosely in his hand at his side. “Sorry I’m late,” he grumbled handing Nagisa the file.

Rin could’ve fallen to the ground in shock. Was the universe laughing at him now? He couldn’t understand what was happening anymore, because not only were one of Haru’s friends here, but _two_. What were the odds? The tall man was unmistakable. He was the fourth member in their photo. He hadn’t changed much, his dark blue hair was styled the same and Rin was sure the same glasses sat on the bridge of his nose. The blush and smile were absent, but he was sure it was the same man.

“Oh Rei,” Nagisa teased. “I was right, wasn’t I? This is Rei Ryugazaki, my Forensic Science Technician.”

“So you know, I did find traces of chloroform in her blood. No other drugs had entered her system. Her liver, or if you could even call that mess of an organ you gave me, was clean and so were her kidneys. Here is the full report.” He passed the clipboard to his superior before pushing his glasses up his nose. A smile spread on his lips. Rin would’ve almost described it as mischievous. “To your request, I dug a little deeper. I found the missing file from earlier and I see surprising similarities.”

Nagisa grabbed the file from his assistant’s hands. He glanced over it before passing it to Seijuro’s open palm. “I remembered reading about one victim the police stumbled across at the end of the summer a few years back. This was unsurprisingly swept under the rug as a second body was found the next night. The second victim’s body distinctly followed The Fine Diner’s M.O. as the first victim’s death did not. Funny enough, the second victim was the last woman he ended up killing. At least until now.”

Seijuro’s head began to bob in agreement as he skimmed the file. He remembered coming across her body in the early months after they had taken over the case. It was, as Nagisa had said, the night before their world was swept under their feet with another confirmed kill from their then titled serial killer. It was prior to his now habitual eating. “I remember her. This murder was passed to a different department the second we took on a confirmed Diner case. If I recall, it was never solved. Not even a suspect could be found.”

“It’s eerily similar, isn’t it?” Rei beamed overly proud of his find. “As you can see in the file, she was chloroformed before being stabbed multiple times in the chest. This outcome was slightly different because it ended there, unlike this poor woman.”

“It may have ended then because he was still new to his killings.” Seijuro handed Rin the file. Sousuke took a few steps closer to read over his shoulder. “The Fine Diner has evolved exponentially in the five year time frame of us taking on his case. If we’re looking at the same killer for all of these victims, then we should see similarities on all ends. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that these two killings are related, the question is if they are works from our notorious killer or a random, even potential copycat. Rin, you might be on to something here. If something were to go wrong, who’s to say he would revert back to his old habits. We should get back to the office and look at her file. It might give us some answers as to why this resulted last night instead of what was expected.”

“We should probably cross check any other similar cases of bodies turning up before The Fine Diner murders. Maybe there are more instances,” Sousuke suggested.

“Do you mind if we take this off of your hands for a bit?” Seijuro asked, pulling the file from Rin’s trembling hands.

Nagisa dramatically shook his head with a smile. “I had Rei pull it for you. I always wanted to be a detective. Your jobs look fascinating. Not only that, but I’ve always wanted to be an astronaut, but that’s another story.” He waved the thought off before diving into another giggling fit. He strolled to the suite doors to pull them open for their departing guests.

“Thanks again for your help,” Seijuro said. “I’ll be calling you later if we need more information.” He turned to leave with Sousuke on his heels.

Rin hesitated, his thoughts consuming his mind. The case was his number one priority at the moment, but knowing the two men in front of them had ties to Haru caused his normally steady thought process to go haywire. He was unsure if he should mention Haru at all, but his time was running short. It could be now or never. He watched the two men interact as his mind slowly thought the situation out. He could’ve laughed. Rei was scrutinizing Nagisa for saying something morbid. They seemed like very close friends that had conjunctively majored in similar degrees to be able to work together when the time came to enter the workforce. Though Rei seemed less happy about the situation then Nagisa, they really looked like they enjoyed their time together. Judging by their actions, Rin wondered if their relationship extended deeper outside of work. To him, they looked more like lovers than friends.

“Can I help you with something else?” Nagisa asked, pulling Rin from his thoughts.

Embarrassed, the red head’s face flushed. He could hear the door to the morgue open as Sousuke called his name wondering if he was coming anytime soon. He opened his mouth to ask still unsure of the words that were forming under his tongue. Rushed, he spat, “Do you two know Haruka Nanase?”

“Haru?! I haven’t seen him in ages!” Nagisa reminisced, his face contorted into a strange version of happiness.

Rei approached Rin bearing a similar goofy grin on his face. He had his hands on Nagisa’s shoulders leaning over him with the same level of excitement. “Have you seen him? I know he said he was moving back here the last I talked to him, but it’s been a long time since then. I hope he’s well.”

Rin’s heart was beating fast from the anticipation, but with their excitable words it was beginning to slow. More relaxed, he smiled. “He’s doing well, don’t worry.” Running a hand through his overly messy hair, Rin huffed. He still couldn’t get over the fact that these two knuckleheads ran around with him in high school. Their personalities clashed like nothing he’d ever laid eyes on.

“Rin!” This time it was Seijuro’s voice that called.

His stomach sinking with his time now running out, Rin knew he wouldn’t be able to talk about Haru with them, at least not today. He wanted nothing more than to know about the merman that he had fallen head over heels for in the last twenty four hours, especially since there wasn’t a single person who affected him quite like Haru. How had he let his strict rules and wild feelings run rampant?

“Coming,” he called back. “Thanks again.” With his words, Rin pivoted and ran toward his Chief attempting to clear his mind of his own lover. _Focus, Rin_ , he assured himself. A cloud of uncertainty hovered over what they would uncover in the next stage of their investigation. Already, he was feeling high anxiety over the idea of that woman losing her life because Ai interfered with the killer’s plans. And knowing he was a potential target made his head spin. He crossed his fingers hoping they would uncover the truth and catch The Fine Diner before something else unspeakable happened. The last thing he wanted was to be a target for a psycho cannibal, and Rin was sure he wouldn’t stop at one attempt at his life if he were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I laughed so hard through this chapter I almost cried. Why? Because Nagisa is LITERALLY the last person I would peg as a Medical Examiner/Coroner and I couldn't help myself. I am just the worst. I'm sorry if he or Rei weren't in character. I tried my best. I love them to pieces!
> 
> This chapter. lmfao bye.
> 
> In all seriousness, the real roller coaster is coming. That was just a little pre-chapter. With a lot of details and some important shit and weird humor. Always have to include some humor to break up the heaviness. :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter's here! Sorry for any mistakes!

The ride back to the station was too quiet. Since Rin took so long to join his other two coworkers, he clambered into the back of Seijuro’s patrol car. He shifted uncomfortably unsure what to say on the situation. If one individual committed all of the murders, it would be more leaves unturned with even less answers, except maybe one. If The Fine Diner was behind everything after all, he could’ve reverted back to his old style if by chance his pray managed to slip past his fingers. Or something happened that night that caused this over-aggressive catastrophe. Beginning to feel more insecure, Rin wished he had his pistol on him, anything to protect him from a potentially deadly encounter.

“Stop it, Rin. I can hear you thinking back there,” Sousuke complained, flipping through the file Nagisa had let them borrow. “I’m sure you’re under the impression that you’re the reason that woman died last night, but you’re not.”

“It’s not like that,” Rin began, shifting in his seat again. “What if he tries to make another attempt?”

“We won’t let that happen.” Seijuro’s strong attitude calmed Rin’s nerves. He almost forgot Seijuro and Sousuke were very good at their jobs. They were at the top of their respected classes. They each gained excellent marks for their sharpshooting and aim in their firearm courses. If Rin had to have bodyguards during this investigation, he couldn’t imagine two more qualified people. But that would also mean that they wouldn’t let him out of their sight.

Haru would definitely have to be put on the back burner, just when things started to get heated too. Rin’s face sunk with his depressive thoughts. He pulled his red phone out of his pocket. There weren’t any new notifications. Remembering that he had Haru’s number and it was unlikely that it was the other way around, the red head would have to be the one to initiate the conversation. What would he even say? The case was sensitive to civilians. Haru would be safer not knowing the current situation. He could potentially be in danger with a killer after Rin. Maybe he shouldn’t say anything at all? But that would leave an open end to something he wasn’t about to let slip through his fingers. He had a taste of what Haru could give him, a sense of freedom he never had the pleasure of knowing before. To just let that go after everything…

He couldn’t. Typing up a quick text, he hoped it explained enough for the moment.

 

_Haru, it’s Rin. Don’t wait for me tonight. Work has been more than I can handle and then some. I can’t explain but I’ll let you know when things calm down here. For now, I think it’s better if we_

 

Rin furiously backspaced the whole text. What was he thinking? Haru would get the impression he wanted nothing to do with him anymore and that was the last thing he desired. He settled with a less is more starter to a conversation he wasn’t sure he could even continue.

 

_Hey, it’s Rin. Work is a literal shitshow right now. It’s going to be a late night. Don’t wait up for me and stay safe. Love you._

 

He hit the send button and pushed his phone back into his pocket. Haru had seen his reaction this morning to the news of another victim. Rin was sure he would understand. His groin pulled as the memories of his early hour wake up call entered his thoughts. In a way he had been looking forward to another night with the merman. It took his mind from the hellish ways of the world. And even though it only lasted a few hours, it was enough to face another day.

He could feel the vibration of a reply. Sousuke rotated in his seat giving Rin a curious look. He had heard it too. Resisting every urge in his body not to answer it, Rin flashed a smile before averting his attention out the window. The sun was high without a cloud in the sky. It was a beautiful spring day. The cherry blossoms would bloom soon and Rin hoped this mess would be cleaned up by then. He wanted to share his favorite part of spring with Haru without a worry in the world.

As reality goes, he knew it wouldn’t be the case. He couldn’t deny The Fine Diner was becoming more active. Instead of several months separating his victims, there were only a few weeks. Seijuro had told him once that psychopaths like their serial cannibal wanted nothing more than to send people on a mad chase, to gain more attention and drama glorifying them, to stroke their ego. Their endgame would ultimately conclude in their demise, being caught dead or alive, but not after a major event unfolds. He already sent everyone into a mass panic every time his victims turn up. It was a guessing game. Who would he attack next? When will that happen? Why does he keep doing this? The Diner had to be relishing in his own glory and the chaos that appeared at his beck and call.

Seijuro pulled the car into his parking spot. He shut off the ignition but didn’t move to exit the car immediately like usual. Rin shifted his gaze to meet his golden stare. “Chief?”

He sighed. It only meant that something was weighting heavily on his mind. “Before we dive head first into this new lead,” he paused, uncertainty covering his face, “I’m going to need you to give me some answers, Rin.”

The red head swallowed suddenly wishing the widows were cracked. Nausea and lightheadedness enveloped his body. He tried to remind himself that nothing he did was wrong, not even running from Ai. However, it certainly made him look very suspicious. He could face some sort of consequence with aiding in Haru’s naked escape. But maybe the young officer didn’t mention anything about him in fears of how their superior would react. Rin stiffened with the thought of Seijuro’s angry side. It scared him more than anything in this world. He would almost pick being taking by The Fine Diner over what could explode when he entered his office. Only minutes separated him from that encounter. He would have to calm himself before then and figure out what exactly he was going to say.

“Yes, sir,” Rin stammered, wrenching the car door open. _Calm down_ , he tried to tell himself as he stumbled out of the vehicle catching himself on Sousuke’s outstretched arm.

“You okay?” his partner asked.

Ripping his arm from his grip, Rin answer as matter-of-factly as he could, “I’m fine.” He was positively not fine. As they made their way through their precinct, past their department, and toward the offset room Mikoshiba called his office, panic swelled inside of Rin. His vision was blurred and he wasn’t sure if he was even walking in a straight line. Sousuke kept pace with him, sensing his lack of awareness. Seijuro opened his door for the two officers. When Rin realized Sousuke wasn’t leaving, he calmed every so slightly.

The door clicked shut behind them as Rin plopped himself into one of the two leather chairs facing Seijuro’s desk. Sousuke occupied the second. This felt more like a cross-examination than a simple explanation of his erratic behavior. When their Chief settled himself in his chair, Rin broke.

“It’s not what it looked like.”

Seijuro leaned forward, placing his elbows on his wooden desk and rested his chin over his folded hands. He wasn’t joking around. This was very serious. “What happened?” His borderline angry voice slammed into Rin’s wall he was attempting to build crumbling it to pieces.

“Look, I was on the beach and Ai scared me half to death. At first I didn’t recognize it was him so I ran and I’m sorry. By the time I could’ve changed what had happened, I realized my phone had hit the water and completely died. I wasn’t about to stop at a payphone. People die in those things.” Rin’s words were rushed, echoing the intimidation he was feeling from Seijuro. He didn’t look comfortable in the chair he was sitting in. For all intents and purposes, Rin was shocked they didn’t have him in one of the interrogation rooms.

Seijuro continued, “Sousuke went to check on you after his shift because he thought you were acting strange that morning. When he realized you weren’t there, he called me straight away. Soon after, we received the message from the killer. I asked Sousuke to stay at your place until you returned. At least we were hoping you would. As it turned out, you certainly did not. Aiichiro called me about an hour later saying he spotted you on the beach.”

Rin’s face was pale. He was sitting on his hands trying not to give anything away with his body language. Seijuro wasn’t exactly buying his story and his words kept boring themselves into the red head’s subconscious. He sighed, unsure if he could keep Haru’s identity a secret for much longer. “What do you want from me, exactly?” Rin asked trying to figure out if Ai had spilled the truth about the merman.

“Clear answers, Rin.” Seijuro’s voice was overly calm, deadly even. He spoke each word very slowly and very clearly to accent his point. He wasn’t playing games and he wasn’t about to tell Rin what he knew to be the truth.

The red head chanced a glance at Sousuke. His teal stare dug into his mind searching for the answers he wasn’t telling. The rest of the wall he was trying to build turned to dust and before he knew it, words were flying out of his mouth. “I was at the beach again because I was looking for him.”

The two cops exchanged glances. Sousuke reclined in his seat obviously disappointed in his partner. “You were looking for your merman _again_?”

Sousuke’s words stung. Rin knew they would. It wasn’t completely surprising; he knew it was coming. His own partner didn’t believe him in the hospital and Rin wasn’t sure he would believe him if he saw fish-a-fied Haru first hand. “I didn’t want to say anything because I knew you were going to give me shit about it. You want answers, well here they are. I was at the beach because I couldn’t let the idea of a merman saving me go. I was attempting to solve the mystery of my miraculous survival, working outside of work. It’s not like it makes sense. I should be dead. You two think I’m nuts but at least I have an inkling of a reason as to why I’m sitting here.” When neither coworker said a word, Rin decided to continue. It probably didn’t matter at this point. He was sure they already knew his motive but he needed to voice it. “Ai scared the shit out of me because I was ashamed, okay? I ran because I was _ashamed_.”

Saying those words aloud turned his stomach. He was a coward, unable to face his closest friends with the truth and unable to admit it when it was called into question. Even now he was feeding them a version of the facts. What would they say if they knew about Haru, what he was doing to him, how much he had changed since meeting him?

“Is that all you have to say?” Seijuro asked, prying deeper, completely unrelenting.

Rin’s face hardened. He knew. He had to know. If he could barely hold his Chief at bay the Ai must’ve crumbled with one look of his golden eyes. He had a weaker resolve. Rin knew that judging by his actions that night. Aiichiro didn’t approach them, probably more out of shock. He most likely didn’t want to see Rin kissing someone other than himself. He felt as though someone punched him in the stomach, his mind wasn’t getting enough oxygen. The red head felt for his younger coworker. He knew he had strong feelings for Rin, but it wasn’t reciprocated. Sympathizing, he spoke quietly, “I found him.”

Seijuro sighed heavily, dropping his head. Sousuke refused to look at his partner. Was it because of what happened or something else? Neither of them wanted to hear those words, but it confused Rin as to why they didn’t. After a long, silent pause, Rin added, “Please say something.”

The Chief pushed off of his desk getting to his feet. “It’s been a long day, how about you two go home. Get some rest. I’ll see you back in the office first thing tomorrow morning.” It wasn’t a suggestion. It was an order.

Rin stood with his eyes downcast. All Mikoshiba wanted to hear was the truth. There was someone on that beach and for whatever reason, he protected him and ran from his own friends. His loyalty was being called into question here. He was to go home and mull things over before approaching the chief again. And when that time came, he better have his thoughts straight.

“Sousuke, make sure he gets home safely… _and stays there_.”

The dark haired man froze. Their eyes met before they both fell on Seijuro’s stern face.

“But why?!” Rin spat in an obvious outrage.

“Because whoever supposedly saved your life that night has changed you. He’s altered your perception of what’s right and wrong. As your boss, I cannot allow that from one of my own men. I’m not even sure if I can trust you right now. And to be completely honest, I’m beginning to wonder if that bad influence of yours isn’t actually our killer lurking in the shadows.”

Rin took a step back. The full front of Seijuro’s reasoning behind this small questioning smacked him in the face. Not only did it suck the air out of his lungs, but it also left him speechless. Maybe his Chief was right, and maybe Rin fell for the exact person who was trying to kill him. He dismissed the feeling earlier because Haru had saved his life. But what if, in those three years, he was just stalking his pray, getting him ready to eat. Maybe he saved Rin’s life because he wouldn’t be of any use to him dead.

All of the opportunities he had to take him. Rin was in his house. He spent the night with a psychopath. The sudden realization made him dizzy. He stumbled against the doorframe hardly able to stand. Sousuke was at his side instantly, supporting him under his broad shoulder.

“I don’t want to lose you, Rin. So for the love of god just do what I say and take responsibility for your actions. We just need to ask him a few questions. If he’s not The Fine Diner, we’ll know. We can put all of this behind us.”

“But…” Rin huffed unable to form words. The room was spinning and he couldn’t seem to grab a hold of anything to stop the madness swirling in his head. He could feel Sousuke’s strong arm supporting him but it wasn’t enough to quell the feeling of drowning.

“ _Rin?!_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mwhahahhaha. *runs away*  
> Okay, I am a little bit sorry for ending this here. But not sorry enough. See you guys early next week with the next chapter! >:D
> 
>  
> 
> Also, Rin's a softy. That is all.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably should warn you that I sort of made Sousuke an asshole. Like more than the slight asshole he was toward Haru in Eternal Summer. I'm really, truly sorry. He'll make it up, he'll get better, I promise!!!!
> 
>  
> 
> Please enjoy! And sorry for any mistakes!

“Drink this,” Sousuke pleaded, handing Rin a bottle of water. The red head was overly embarrassed after what happened in Seijuro’s office. He blamed it on the lack of food, but the news of their most recent suspect threw him off completely. Rubbing a hand through his tangled rat’s nest he called his hair, Rin took a few good swallows of the liquid. Blacking out was one thing, but blacking out in front of his boss and partner was another. The entire office knew of the situation. It was utterly mortifying.

“Why didn’t you eat anything?” Aiichiro pestered, handing him a bowl of fried rice with a pair of chopsticks.

“I bet you looked hilarious,” Momo added as he gripped his stomach with another round of laughter. Being Seijuro’s little brother made him a heavy target for jokes. When something happened to the other members of their department, he would let himself go. However, Seijuro grabbed the top of his head tightly causing the laughter to cease at once.

“I’m fine,” Rin grumbled angrily digging into his food. The excess attention was getting on his nerves. It had been over an hour since he came to. The sun had already fallen. He wondered where the day had gone. Haru was probably off work already wondering why Rin hadn’t responded to his text. How was he going to talk him into an interrogation with the police? The second Haru catches on to their ploy, he would run. At least he would if he was guilty.

“As soon as you’re done, Sousuke will take you home. Might I add that you shouldn’t take any detours or back roads? You two should do the same,” Seijuro nodded at his little brother and Ai. The white haired man saluted him quickly with a strong worded yes. Momo crossed his arms over his chest in irritation whispering whatever as his response.

The Chief patted Rin on the shoulder before walking back to his office. The red head sunk further in the chair they had propped him in after he woke from his blackout. The news affected him more than he realized. It would be hard to see Haru after this, whether he was guilty or not. Reality seemed to be overly cruel to Rin. He wanted nothing more than what they had to be real, but it felt like a sick joke. Losing his appetite to the thought, he signaled to Sousuke that he was ready to go.

The drive to Rin’s house was quiet, much like the drive from the morgue to the department. Sousuke had his eyes trailed on the road. His apartment wasn’t too much more than five miles up the mountain, but it felt like it was taking an eternity to reach it.

“I can understand you not wanting to give Seijuro full details of your last forty six hours with your merman, but know you can share anything with me.” It was Sousuke’s version of trying to make his partner feel better about his life choices. Rin was fairly certain he already had an idea of what transpired during his time with Haru, but he couldn’t get himself to say anything more about it.

“Sure,” Rin hissed, trying to rub his crazy emotions off of his face.

After a few seconds of silence, Sousuke continued, “What’s he like?”

He felt cheated out of the truth, Rin figured, or he was trying to make small talk. Regardless, he wasn’t in the mood to share. Talking about sex with Haru was difficult enough. He wasn’t sure how Sousuke would take hearing it firsthand.

“Is he creepy?”

“ _Creepy?_ ” Rin repeated hurtfully, turning his attention to his partner. They had thankfully reached their destination because the red head wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take. Wrenching the car door open, he got out of the vehicle leaving Sousuke behind. His words set him off. A lot of things were lately. Fishing for his keys, Rin brushed up against something cold in his pocket. He didn’t remember taking his key off of his keychain. Pulling the metal from his pants he realized exactly what it was. Haru had somehow slipped his house key into Rin’s pocket. The blood drained from his face.

Sousuke rounded the front of the car. “You okay?”

“Yeah…you could call him creepy.” He pushed it back into the pocket of the pants he borrowed before fishing in a different one for his own apartment key. Praying he didn’t leave it in Haru’s house somewhere, he sighed in relief when his fingers brushed the plastic piece of his keychain. He made quick work of the lock before pushing the door open forcefully. He flipped on his apartment light. When he glanced over the room and decided no one was waiting for him, he sighed. Rin didn’t realize he was worried about Haru waiting in his apartment until now.

“See you tomorrow,” he said to Sousuke as he went to close the door. A foot jammed it in an open position.

“Like hell. I’m staying. You need someone here just in case he pulls something tonight.”

Rin about had it. “Christ, he doesn’t know where I live.”

“You don’t know that.”

He couldn’t give Sousuke a good enough reason to let him spend the night alone. His words were true; Rin truly had no idea if Haru knew where he lived. If he had been watching him for three years, it was very possible he followed him home or got his address from one of his payments to the café.

“Seijuro would have a fit and you know it. He wanted me to take you home and make sure you were safe for the night.”

The best comeback Rin could muster flew out of his lips in desperation, “I don’t need a babysitter.” By now, he knew anything he said wouldn’t faze his partner. Sousuke would spend the night and that was the end of that. Rin couldn’t help but argue with him though.

“You obviously do. You can’t even spend one night alone without getting into trouble.”

“I wasn’t alone,” Rin snapped. He regretted saying those words the second they left his lips. “Whatever,” he huffed, trying to blow it off. He stepped out of Sousuke’s way to let him in.

He joined him in the living room fuming from head to foot. Forcing the door closed with a slam, he flipped the lock before turning back to his partner. “Not alone, huh? So tell me, what _exactly_ did you two do last night?”

His anger was palpable and it irritated Rin enough to finally crack. “I expect a lot of things from you, Sousuke, but this? This is completely outrageous!”

Sousuke’s fist tightened. “Why can’t you just tell me you fucked him? Huh? You were ashamed enough to run from your own friend to hide his identity from us, so why can’t you just admit it? Tell me the truth!”

Rin’s eyes narrowed, his voice growing cold. The words that came from his lips were eerily quiet, “Oh, I fucked him all right. And you know what, I don’t regret a thing. So don’t be throwing grief my way, tough guy. You aren’t my sister. My personal life is my own to live the way I want.”

“Can you even hear yourself right now? You’re not you and this is exactly why I can’t leave you alone! Can you not see how worried we are for you? How worried I am?”

Silence filled the space between them. Rin’s eyes widened with shock. Sousuke was a long time friend of his. They’ve been through a lot together. And even though they liked to argue, Rin never wanted to hurt his partner. But at this moment he realized how much of an ass he was being, not only to him, but to the rest of the department. The truth may be hard to tell, but they deserved to know.

“You may think you’re doing the right thing by protecting him, but please think about what you’re putting us through. I don’t care that you fucked him. I just want to know why. I deserve to know why.” Sousuke’s face had dropped. The feelings of hurt and betrayal coated his face. Rin lowered his guard. There wasn’t a point fighting anymore. The truth would come out one way or another. He figured it would best coming from his own lips.

“It’s because I love him,” Rin admitted. Those words felt so foreign coming from his tongue. They felt odd when he texted them to Haru earlier, but saying them was completely different. “I thought I loved him…” The red head put a hand to his forehead suddenly feeling lightheaded. His old wound was beginning to throb. In some ways he wished Haru would’ve let him drown. Things wouldn’t be in this idiotic mess right now if he did.

Sousuke huffed, “Love?”

Rin threw himself onto his couch utterly defeated. The argument was over in his mind, and now they just needed to talk it out peacefully. He covered his face with his hands in shame as his words slipped through his lips. “Lecture me all you want, I’ve said all I needed to.”

His partner shook his head. “To hear you say it, it…” he trailed off, his eyebrows pursing.

“It what?” The red head asked blatantly, catching Sousuke’s odd tone of voice. He couldn’t quite place it, but he knew something was wrong. Sitting up to get a better look at his friend, their gazes met.

His partner’s voice was flat. “It hurts.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Rin grumbled getting back to his feet to approach Sousuke. He felt as though his partner was hiding something from him. He didn’t feel satisfied if all he gave were answers. He needed to know what Sousuke was thinking too.

“Yeah, rub it in. Add insult to injury. I knew you were blind when it came to love, but I didn’t realize just how severe.” He shifted his body to avoid Rin’s red stare. Was it because he was feeling guilty?

Rin froze in his tracks, his face heating up. His partner’s words and actions confused him. It was unlike anything he’d seen coming from his tall friend. All he could whisper was, “Sousuke?”

The dark haired man chanced another glance Rin’s way. They stood like that in silence for what felt like a century. He shook his head unwilling to continue the conversation. “Forget it.” There sat a slight blush on his cheeks.

“What’s going on?” Rin asked. He was becoming more worried by the second. This wasn’t the normal Sousuke he grew up with. It felt as though a stranger was standing before him. Rin’s voice was steady, as he acted calmer than he believed. “You can’t tell me your worried for my wellbeing and do this. That isn’t fair.”

“My wellbeing?” Sousuke chuckled. It felt slightly demonic like he was laughing a sick joke. “Since when do you think you’ve become such an expert on that?”

Rin swallowed hard. All of the moisture in his mouth had dried up. “I’ve known you for a very long time. This isn’t like you.”

“It’s not like you to fall head over heels for a complete stranger. And come to find out that you went well beyond the boundaries within twenty four hours of knowing him? Talk about not understanding your own partner. You don’t need to be calling me into question here, Rin. You’ve completely crossed the line.”

“I’ve crossed the line?” Rin started taken aback by his partner’s words. All of his past anger started boiling back to the surface.

Sousuke closed the gap. Gripping the back of Rin’s hair, he forced his head up. Their lips met for a mere second before the red head realized just what was happening. He pushed his partner away from him taking a few steps back to make sure there was a good distance between them. The awkward silence that spread among them was unbearable.

“I can’t,” Rin finally stammered. His actions shocked him, shaking him to his very core. His face was bright red and his heart was beating out of his chest. That was the very last thing he expected coming from Sousuke. He wasn’t sure how to react or what to say. It had completely caught him off guard.

“Why? You can kiss your fish boy but not me?”

“It’s not like that and you know it!” Rin yelled surprised at how shaky his voice was. “You’re my friend, my partner, not… _this_.” He ushered to each of them in an attempt to mime the meaning of couple. “If we crossed that line, I don’t know if I could stay in the department.”

Sousuke looked defeated. His voice was quiet. “So you’re trying to tell me your job is more important than our feelings toward each other?”

Rin sighed. This wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have right now, especially after what happened after the last one. However, he felt he owed Sousuke something. Maybe it was their years of friendship, or their deep roots when they finally became partners in same department. “I didn’t realize…this whole time?”

Sousuke blushed. “I guess when it comes down to it, I’ve never been that good about displaying my feelings well either. But if you really want to know, yes, this whole time.”

Rin wished he drowned. Hoping things would go back to normal after this Diner mess was complete was only a wild fantasy. He could feel his heart being torn two different ways as he realized what kind of feelings he had toward his partner. He enjoyed his job, and now knowing Sousuke’s true feelings could make things awkward. Relationships between coworkers were forbidden for this exact reason. To perform in the line of duty was a number one priority and if one couldn’t do that because his mind was clouded with love, things could get messy.

Sousuke took a step toward Rin. Feeling too overwhelmed with emotions, the red head instinctively took a step back.

“Rin…” He sounded desperate. Much like Rin felt when Haru was around. But some lines shouldn’t be crossed regardless of how much they teased.

“Don’t,” Rin said as firmly as he could. He turned his head away from Sousuke afraid the look he was giving him would cause him to break the rules, to cross that line whether he wanted it or not. Tears were welling in his eyes. It was like salt was being rubbed in his wounds. Not only did the possibility exist that Rin would have to leave Haru for good, but now he had Sousuke’s feelings weighing on his shoulders. The universe was laughing at him and he resented every ounce of it.

His partner threw his hands in defeat. “Whatever,” he grumbled. “I’m taking a shower.”

He couldn’t say anything as Sousuke walked past him. Wanting nothing more than this whole situation to disappear, Rin listened for the bathroom door to close before heading to his room. His mind was a blur. Nothing was making sense anymore. Maybe the promise of a new day would change things, but even that outcome was slim. Rin raked his mind trying to find a solution to the mess he inevitably led everyone into. It was going to be a long night.

He stepped over the threshold into his bedroom with a heavy sigh. He didn’t bother with the lights. At this point he just wanted sleep. He kicked his door shut behind him when a hand tightly clasped over his mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY LOVE TRIANGLE AND MASSIVE CLIFFHANGER. Sorry everyone.  
> o_o
> 
> Though, not sorry enough to post earlier? See you at the end of the week! :)


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might be an inopportune time to inform you that you're not even half way done reading this work. But I felt it was necessary. That is all.
> 
>  
> 
> Please enjoy!! Sorry for any mistakes!

His body instantly filled with anxiety. Another grip had wound its way over one of Rin’s arms and secured the other pulling each against his body. Rin thrashed but his movements didn’t seem to help. Whoever had him wasn’t giving up without a serious fight. The grasp over his lips was tight enough to muffle his voice. Even screaming at the top of his lungs may not reach Sousuke’s ears. He needed to think about his possibilities to get out of this situation, and he was wasting too much of his own energy fighting in the wrong ways.

His assailant pushed him forward, unexpectedly releasing his grip in one go. Rin tumbled onto his bed, instantly springing to action. With one bounce, he pushed off of the mattress and turned his body around to face his attacker. Hands gripped his wrists as the full weight of someone was thrown against him. He was pushed back against the sheets, but his airway was left open. Now was his chance.

“Sou– ” Rin cried but was cut short as a tongue entered his mouth muffling his words yet again. Panic was welling inside of him as he began to lash out again. He wasn’t about to lose this fight.

The tongue pulled away from his mouth as a voice whispered into his ear, “Relax, it’s just me.”

Rin sucked in a large breath of air suddenly frozen. It was Haru. Not sure what to do and still pinned to the bed, his mind started rapid firing to the point of short-circuiting. The merman was kissing him down his neck, along the collar of his borrowed shirt. He wasn’t putting an excess amount of weight on his wrists, but he couldn’t seem to break through. Part of him still wanted this, but his mind was relaying all the information Seijuro and Sousuke had told him earlier. He very well could be their killer, and at this moment, Rin could be in danger. He tried to speak, to tell him to stop, but the words weren’t forming.

Instinctively, his hips lifted slightly toward the merman, grinding in the only way he could beg for more. Could he honestly be their murderer? Could he chop someone into a million pieces and still act like this?

But there he was, on top of Rin in his own home when he was fairly certain he didn’t have an inkling of where Rin’s apartment was. He was waiting in the shadows. He ambushed him after a long, heated argument with Sousuke and probably heard and possibly saw the entirety of it.

“Stop,” Rin whined. At first he couldn’t have believed the noise came from his throat, but the second he found out he could speak, his attempt was louder. “Haru, stop.”

The merman retracted at once. His hands still rested on Rin’s wrists, but his grip was loose. Noticing the lack of pressure, the red head pushed Haru off of him until they were both in a sitting position. Even with the lights off and Rin’s room fairly dark, he could tell how hurt Haru was with his words. It tightened his stomach, but he couldn’t allow this to continue if he truly was a mass murderer.

“Please don’t give me that look,” Rin sighed, honestly afraid that if he did, he would allow him to do just that.

“I’m sorry,” Haru mumbled. Rin was taken aback with his apology. “I told you I was coming over. Didn’t you read my text?”

Rin blushed in embarrassment. He had completely forgotten that Haru texted him back almost immediately after he sent the risky message. With Sousuke’s side-glance and Seijuro’s interrogation, he never did open it. He exhaled heavily. It didn’t even begin to answer all of the questions swirling around Rin’s head.

He started with the most blatantly obvious. “How do you know where I live?”

“I was running in your neighborhood a while back and I saw you and that other cop you always hang out with enter this place. By the time I had made my round and was heading back home, he was leaving without you. Fairly obvious.”

Rin’s hands curled around his sheets. He had to remind himself to stay calm. Haru observed people extremely well, and that just happened to be a coincidence. If he panicked now, things may not end in a good way, especially if he was The Fine Diner. “Do you have any idea what you could’ve done? I could’ve killed you if I had my gun on me. And Sousuke– ”

“Do you love him?”

The words caught in Rin’s throat. His face turned a wild shade of red. Haru heard their whole conversation. “ _N-no!_ ” Rin spat, defenses on high alert.

Haru’s deep gaze shifted to the side, unable to keep eye contact with him. A small frown could be seen in the small amount of moonlight leaking through the curtains. “Is that why you pushed me away?”

Rin about choked. He found breathing difficult. Haru had everything completely backwards. He wanted to move forward, kiss him, be near him, to comfort him, but Rin resisted ever urge. He debated if it would be easier letting him believe that lie. If he were a killer, learning the falsified truth of Rin and Sousuke being a couple at a time like this could put Rin into a tight spot. He could end up just like the victim he inspected this morning. He would be nothing more than what was left after a psychotic rampage.

Sickened by the thought, Rin griped, “Haru.” He wouldn’t feel right just letting him go on believing something like that, killer or not. It would be a lie to say Rin could forfeit all feelings for the merman. But things had gone too far, Haru had shown him too much of his own world. Life would never be the same. At the very least, he should know the truth.

Forgetting about the case for an instant, the red head pushed himself forward. His lips met Haru’s. What a difference from Sousuke’s kiss earlier. As aggressive as his partner was toward him, Haru’s lips were much softer. He enjoyed brushing against them, tasting the slight saltiness to his mouth. Circumstances aside, Rin would much rather have Haru’s than Sousuke’s.

However, Haru rejected him almost immediately. Pulling back and pushing against Rin’s shoulders as an extra precaution, he put the red head back into place. With a dumbstruck expression layering his features, Rin began to wonder if he had the same look his partner had on his face, and if this was how Sousuke felt when he reciprocated the same feelings. He didn’t find his discarded emotions fair. He was almost certain kissing Haru would explain exactly how he felt about the entire situation.

“That’s not answering my question,” Haru protested. His eyebrows were pursed together. It was blatantly obvious Rin had to say his feelings aloud. It pulled at his chest. His heart and mind were at war, and it was getting more gruesome by the minute.

Rin sighed. He would need to tell Haru the truth. If the situation started going south, he could always call for Sousuke. He knew his pistol was in the top drawer of his nightstand. If he could reach that in time, things may be okay.

But would he even be able to pull the trigger?

Shaking the thought from his mind, Rin began, “Look, Haru.” He hesitated. The words weren’t coming as easily as he hoped. Rubbing the back of his head and shifting his gaze away from his blue stare, he swallowed. “I don’t love Sousuke, okay? He had feelings for me I didn’t realize until very recently. I guess you probably heard every bit of that mess out there?”

He tried to laugh a little, bring some humor to the suddenly intense conversation. Haru’s facial expression refused to change. Swallowing hard, he tried to continue with the truth. “I’m sorry I pushed you away, I’m just very conflicted at the moment. Because of work, things are…complicated.”

“Complicated because you love him?” Haru asked again, more solid on his retort.

“No.” Rin was stern but remained calm. It was now or never. Sousuke was in the shower. If he were to hear them talking confidential information in a low tone of voice, it would be very hard to hear. “It’s because they think you’re a nutcase murderer.”

Haru couldn’t hide the shocked expression flooding over his face.

Lowering his voice, Rin didn’t pause. “I’m not supposed to tell you this. It can get me into serious trouble. They want to talk to you. That’s all. They just need answers. When these killings happen, they throw our department into a massive panic. And retaliating against anything abnormal is the only way they feel progress can be made. Because of what I’ve been doing,” a blush returned to Rin’s cheeks, “because of what I’ve been doing because of you, they think you might be him.”

“The Fine Diner?” Haru asked, slowly, very unsure of the happenings around him.

“If you go to the department and answer their questions like they ask you to, all of this can be left in the past. We can continue right where we left off.”

Haru shifted throwing Rin into a panic. Throwing his legs over the side of the bed, the merman put his head into his hands. His face was covered and it scared Rin more than he wanted to admit. Without seeing his eyes it was hard to know what Haru was thinking. His words reached Rin’s ears as a barely audible whisper. “You think I’m that demented lunatic?”

Rin hesitated, biting his lip. Haru’s actions and words made him want to believe he wasn’t that psychopath, but love was blind and Seijuro blatantly spelled that out in his office earlier that day. Without realizing it, Haru had been looking at him with a sideways glance. Rin about jumped when he finally noticed.

Haru shifted so he was sitting more upright, dropping his hands to his sides. He looked defeated. His words came out cracked and shaken. “Look me in the eye and tell me the truth.”

Tears began to well in the corners of Rin’s eyes. The guilt was destroying him.

“Haru I– ”

Unwilling to let Rin finish Haru got to his feet. He strolled over to the door and put his hand on the doorknob. Something made him stop in his tracks. The policeman tried to listen. Maybe Sousuke was out of the shower? Haru adjusted so he was looking at Rin again. He acted like he was about to say something, but his lips didn’t move from their downturn position. With a heavy breath, he wrenched open the door.

With that movement, Rin found himself on his feet. His body was acting on it’s own accord, grabbing Haru’s arm in a tight grip and pulling him back into his room. With a push in the opposite direction of his exit, Rin let go. For extra precaution, he peered into the hallway half expecting to see Sousuke standing there. He could hear the water still running. Clicking his tongue, he closed the door behind him, turning back to the merman.

“Will you just listen for a second before blowing a fuse?” Rin spat, as anger rapidly replaced his guilt. “Yeah, I’ll be the first to admit that I thought you might be the serial cannibal. But the longer I’m around you, the more you prove you aren’t. My superior is under the impression you are and will continue until they get some answers.”

“Don’t lie to me, Rin. I can tell you’re afraid of me. Just let me through,” Haru said. His voice was borderline desperate as he attempted another pass by Rin. The policeman stuck his arms out, blocking his path. Haru pushed his shoulder into him but he still refused to budge. “I know you’re just keeping me here so you can take me in for questioning. I’m not your killer so let me go.”

“That’s not–hey!” Haru was attempting to unlatch the window in Rin’s room. He must’ve understood he wouldn’t get past the human barrier too easily so an alternative exit was needed. Rin grabbed him under his muscular arms and half carried half drug him to his bed. Shoving him back on the mattress face first, the red head crossed his arms over his chest. When he finally rolled over to face the glaring red stare with his own look of utter annoyance, Rin continued.

“I am _not_ keeping you here so we can take you in. Got it? All I was asking was for you to go in yourself. Criminals usually take the back road of refusal and get the hell out of town, which is not unlike what you’re trying to do.”

“I’m not leaving town. I just don’t want to be around someone who thinks so little of me.” Haru’s cold words struck a chord in Rin. His hands dropped to his sides, eventually slipping into his pockets. He wasn’t sure what to say or think at the moment. His blank stare made Haru turn his eyes away.

“I didn’t want to believe it,” Rin’s words were minuscule in sound. He barely heard himself say them, but Haru turned back to him as his face reflected the guilty feelings inside. “But push came to shove and I was given some really interesting evidence.”

Haru calmly replied, “Did you forget you were with me all night?”

“You could’ve snuck out after I…we…” Rin’s face was ablaze again.

“Even if I wanted to, I don’t think I could’ve. You passed out on top of me, remember? It’s not like it was easy to wiggle out of. Besides, you looked too peaceful.” Haru’s lips turned into a small smile. “You’re adorable when you sleep.”

Just when Rin thought his face couldn’t get any redder in color. He had to shift his gaze in a futile attempt to blow it off. Haru was blatantly honest, like a knife through the chest. He normally didn’t have a lot of words, but with one phrase he could take one’s breath away.

Rin took a few paces back until his back hit the wall behind him. His head dropped so his hair covered his face. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind; he wasn’t the killer. He didn’t want Haru to undergo an interrogation if he was innocent. Their department would be wasting their time on a false lead when they could be following up with another. The killer would have time to stalk his next prey. “Just go. Make it quick. If you don’t want to be brought in for questioning, get the hell out. The closer you are with me, the more guilty you’ll look.”

“Rin…”

“Just go,” Rin’s voice was soft again. It was the hardest thing he had to say. But it felt necessary. His life could be in danger, thus involving the safety of Haru’s life as well. If anything happened to him on Rin’s watch, he wasn’t sure what he would do. He could hear the slight rustle and squeak indicating Haru had gotten off of his bed.

A soft touch brushed his cheeks as Haru laced his hands into Rin’s hair. Their eyes met again. “If you want me to talk to them, I will. It’s causing you a lot of stress and it’s honestly difficult to see you like this.” He took a deep breath in before exhaling slowly before adding, “It’s the easiest way to prove my innocence.”

Rin nodded slowly. He definitely wasn’t the killer. He could sense it in his own way. He’d seen so many of the heartless bastards walk into their jail and Haru wasn’t anything like them. Their lips met again. Rin wrapped his arms around the merman’s torso pulling him closer. It felt right. He would fight to kiss those lips every day for the rest of his life.

“Go tomorrow, okay? Spend the night here.” Rin asked as their kiss finally broke.

The snide smile on Haru’s lips grew. “Not with your secret boyfriend staying in the next room. I’m afraid you won’t be able to keep your moaning quiet enough.”

“Then let me come with you,” Rin pleaded. His serious look made Haru’s smile broaden even more, this time with more of a gentle expression. Without another word, Haru turned to leave with Rin hot on his heels.

He reached for the doorknob just as the door was pushed open from the other side. The two men jumped back from the sudden unexpected movement. Sousuke’s shocked expression met Haru’s quickly glaring eyes. In an instant, Sousuke advanced. The merman took a step back in panic but was quickly overcome by the swiftness of the experienced cop. Before Rin could even react, Sousuke was tackling Haru to the ground.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Sousuke breathed as a wicked smile crossed his lips. He secured Haru’s arms behind his back, pushing his entire weight against him pinning him to the ground.

“That’s enough!” Rin cried as he went to aid Haru.

He only took one step before Sousuke growled, “Don’t you even dare. Seijuro thought your resolve would break if you saw him again. He also had a feeling he would be over to see you tonight.” The cop heaved his captured quarry to his feet his expression hardening. An all too serious voice hit Rin’s ears like a foghorn. “You’re too involved. You need to take a step back. If you try anything to stop me, I’ll request to take you off of this case.”

Rin’s lips pursed. “You wouldn’t.” But, in reality, he knew Sousuke would. He was very serious about his job and letting an alleged suspect to the biggest case they have slip through their fingers would be an act of stabbing him in the back.

Sousuke threw Haru against the wall much too aggressively. He began to fiddle with the handcuffs deliberately available in his back pocket. Rin wanted to explode. His partner wouldn’t be acting like this if the earlier confrontation never existed. It was just as personal to him as it was for Rin, but Sousuke would never admit it. With his lover, which he blatantly chose over his work partner, thrown into the tangle of affairs, things could get dicey.

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be held against you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "...So only say my name, it will be held against you."
> 
> Sorry for some FOB lyrics, I couldn't resist. XD Annnnnd, this really didn't end much better than the last chapter did. Sorry??????????
> 
>  
> 
> On a side note, it's Rin/Haru FF/SS Weekend on Tumblr!! Hopefully there will be some really neat Rin/Haru works posted over the course of the next few days, my own included (Please don't judge me. Someone needs to make me stop drawing. I think it's killing people). If you wanna check it out, I highly recommend it! :) I'm a boring ass person, but if you really want to follow me on Tumblr, my handle is the same. I'm not even going to link it because even I don't recommend following me. Hahaha! ;.;
> 
> Happy (almost) weekend everyone! See you early next week with the next chapter!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning????? Sousuke is still an insufferable asshole. This is definitely the worst of it, but it will continue into the next chapter as a heads up.

Sousuke tightened the handcuffs around Haru’s wrists, shackling him to the interrogation table. The ride over was awkward. Rin refused to let Sousuke take him in alone, to the point where he threatened to walk the streets unaccompanied at night with a killer hunting him. Unwilling to let his partner put himself into a predicament like that, Sousuke gruffly allowed the red head to tag along. The drive was filled with their bickering, which hadn’t stopped once they had reached the department.

“This is wrong, Sousuke. He isn’t our guy. Haru was planning on coming in to answer questions on his own free will,” Rin declared, refusing to leave the room. He had his hands crossed over his chest, attempting to hide the worried expression on his face. Seijuro had already been contacted and was on his way in. Momo and Ai were as well. The air was buzzing with anticipation.

Sousuke stood tall, releasing a heavy breath from his nose. He twisted to face his partner, a stern look hardening his face. “I will take you off of this case, Rin. You’re in too deep.”

“We’re wasting our time interrogating him. He’s not the killer,” Rin begged again.

“That’s enough,” Seijuro’s cold words cut through the air. Both officers froze with the noise. The Chief sauntered into the room throwing a file onto the table. Momo and Ai appeared at the doorway. Once feeling the tense atmosphere about the room, they refused to step any further. Looks of apprehension plastered their faces.

“I want everyone to calm down.” His domineering voice seemed to calm the pressure between Rin and Sousuke. Haru sat quietly in his chair, his blue eyes observing the unfolding events.

Calmly, Sousuke started, “Sir, Rin has lost his mind.”

“You are wasting your time with this!” Rin retorted.

“I said _that’s enough_ ,” Seijuro’s words darkened. The two officers shifted their eyes away from his bitter golden stare. He turned to Rin first, “You are not to be a part of this. You are going to turn your ass around and walk out of here and I’m not going to hear another word. Understand?”

Rin’s mouth sunk. Biting his lip, he refrained from spewing everything on his mind. It was becoming too much to bear. But Seijuro’s orders were final and breaking them would land him off of the case in an instant. After a long enough pause, the red head finally replied a disheartened, “Yes sir.” He gave Haru one last look before walking out the room. Ai and Momo followed silently allowing the door to finally close.

He darted around the corner when finally out of sight from them. He wasn’t about to miss this, regardless of what his superior would think. He wrenched open the door to the soundproof room that existed behind the two-way mirror. Ai and Momo joined him shortly.

“Are you okay, Rin? You seem a little tense.” Ai’s soft words made his stomach drop. They didn’t understand what was truly happening. If Sousuke were to have the first crack at him, who knows how aggressive he would become. He already tried to demonstrate how strong he was at his apartment earlier when he threw Haru against the wall. Would Haru back down from the initial threat? The familiar sickening feeling ate at his stomach.

He watched as his Chief turned to Sousuke. “I know you haven’t filled me in with all of the information, but it sounds like Rin is having a difficult time with this.”

“To be expected, sir,” Sousuke nodded, crossing his hands over his chest.

“I’ll keep an eye on him.” With another nod from his underling, Seijuro walked out of the room. The gut-wrenching feeling grew. He could see Haru’s blue eyes swimming behind the glass. He wasn’t about to step down from this fight.

The door to the room opened as Seijuro joined the other three. He grabbed one of the two coffees Aiichiro was holding in his hand. Sitting down, he took a sip. With his eyes trailed onto the interrogation, he asked, “You don’t think this is our guy?”

“No,” Rin quietly replied, leaning against the table that aligned with the glassed wall. It housed the pager used to communicate to the interrogation room along with the camera being used to record the conversations. He began to tap his finger anxiously against the wood. “Regardless of what you might think, he was with me the entire night. His alibi holds true.”

“His alibi holds true if The Fine Diner truly killed that woman. If some other psycho killed her then it means nothing. Try to understand, we just need some clarification.”

Rin sighed not wanting to argue with his boss any longer. The last thing he wanted was to be removed from this case. What happened to Haru in there was no longer under his control. All executive decisions belonged to Seijuro. He did, however, know that they didn’t have enough evidence to hold Haru here for long. He was brought in for questioning as a suspect, and unless he confessed, they would have to release him. Rin grabbed the second coffee from Ai’s outreached hand. Thanking his friend, Rin continued his aggressive finger tapping as he averted his attention to the room before him.

Sousuke had perched himself on the table, his arms crossed over his chest as a sign of strength. The unpleasant look still appeared on his face. He already looked at Haruka’s file and was currently trying the silent approach. It was obvious to Rin that this tactic wouldn’t work. Haru wouldn’t volunteer to speak; it wasn’t like him.

They stared at each other for too long. Sousuke’s lips sunk lower in disgust. “Where were you last night between the hours of ten and three?”

Haru’s reply was dull and emotionless taking on the task of pissing off Sousuke very seriously. “On the beach and at my house.”

Sousuke launched into his second question rather quickly. “Was there anyone who can vouch for that information?”

“Rin Matsuoka.”

The interrogator cleared his throat. “The entire night?”

Haru’s expression sunk into annoyance. His reply was doused in irritation with a hint of sarcasm. “Yes.”

Sousuke obviously didn’t like Haru’s tone of voice in his answer. He tried a different approach. “What were you doing?”

“On the beach or at my house?”

“Both.”

“Do you want details or the general idea?”

Rin watched from behind the glass vibrating with anticipation. Haru wasn’t budging and Sousuke was beginning to realize this. He was genuinely concerned about what his lover was about to confess. Rin was sure his coworkers had a good idea what they did, but he wasn’t sure if they were ready to hear it. His personal life was being brought into the spotlight like a runaway train about to fall off the deep end, something he never wanted to happen. Work was to remain separated from his private life and Haru was about to destroy that in a few minutes.

Seijuro sighed. In an annoyed tone, he hissed, “Sit down, Rin. You’re making me nervous.” Rin ignored the comment, his full attention on the conversation unfolding before him.

“Just tell me what you were doing,” Sousuke growled. He was becoming very irate.

Haru sighed. “I was showing Rin one of my favorite spots I like to swim in the ocean. Your little friend interrupted us, we panicked, and we went back to my house.”

Sousuke waited for a more in depth explanation but once he realized he wasn’t receiving one, he prodded even more. “Then what did you do?”

Rin was shaking. _Don’t say it. Please don’t say it._ He took a sip of his coffee to see if it would help clear the sudden frog in his throat.

“We fucked one out and he passed out on top of me.”

The mouthful of liquid splattered the glass.

“Rin?!” Aiichiro vexed, unsure if he was referring to the massive mess his superior made, or the blatant fact that Haru just unashamedly admitted the truth of their relationship. Fat tears were forming in the corner of his light blue eyes. Before he could get an answer from his friend, the younger officer left to fetch a towel to clean the coffee. Rin could feel Seijuro’s side eye, but was reluctant to acknowledge it firsthand.

“You’re so cool!” Momo griped. The red head could see the sparkle in his eyes. He could never understand what Momo enjoyed. Between his stag beetle obsession and this, he wasn’t sure what to make of him. He welcomed the change of mood, though. It was refreshing to know someone wasn’t upset with how quickly his relationship became physical.

“Momo,” Seijuro threatened. When his brother hesitantly returned to a seated position, he approached Rin again. “Rin?”

The cop wasn’t sure what to say. His face was burning red and he couldn’t feel his heart beating. It was expected. Haru was brutally honest. But to hell with embarrassing his supposed lover in front of the people he cared about the most. At least Gou wasn’t around to see this. What that woman would do right now. The thought scared him.

Ai finally returned. He began cleaning up the mess. Obviously frazzled by the interrogation, he accidentally tipped over Rin’s full cup of coffee spilling it across the table and onto the ground creating more disarray. Apologizing profusely, he began to mop up the floor.

“Care to elaborate your side of the story?” Seijuro finally asked once Ai was more focused on cleaning.

If Haru’s comment wasn’t enough, that was the final blow. Rin dropped into the chair that he should’ve sat in earlier. Maybe it would’ve lessened the shock. Quietly, Rin sputtered, “He’s not lying. I told you his alibi was solid.”

Ai froze and chanced a look at his coworker. Rin met his light blue stare. Questions of motive and betrayal swirled in their midst. The red head couldn’t bear the thought of it. He intended to tell Ai in a much softer setting. Rin figured the truth would hurt him, and it did.

Sousuke’s voice cut through the thick air. “So, you mean to tell me he did all of this on his own free will and you didn’t force him into consenting?”

Rin wasn’t sure Haru’s face could house a more annoyed look. He could’ve almost commended him on the front he was putting up against his partner. “Yes.”

The officer snorted. “Like hell.”

“Go ask him yourself if you don’t believe me. He was _begging_ me for it.”

Rin almost collapsed. Thankful he was already sitting, he clutched at his shirt over his chest certain his heart stopped. This interrogation was going to kill him one way or another. But the look on Sousuke’s face after Haru’s shrewd comment had him worried sick.

Instantly the feeling spiked. Sousuke advanced toward the merman, grabbing Haru by his shirt, and hoisting him to his eye level. Their faces were inches apart. Seijuro was on his feet and out the door in seconds, Momo and Ai quickly trailing. Remaining rooted at the spot; Rin couldn’t process a single thought through the panic. It was barely audible, but he could hear Sousuke’s words through the microphone.

“You think you’re so smooth acting like you’re in charge here. I’ve got news for you. Rin doesn’t belong to you and he never will. You’ve twisted his thoughts and made him do something he would _never_ do. He’s nothing more than a pawn to you. I’m here to make your life hell. If you even think about touching Rin again, your ass is mine. Got it?”

The blood drained from his face. Rin thought he was going to be sick. Seijuro had thrown open the door prying Sousuke’s hands off of Haru’s shirt. The officer watched as his own partner kicked Haru’s chair in anguish. It scraped across the floor before toppling to the ground. The sound must’ve alerted something in Rin’s mind. He rose to his feet and walked out the door. By the time he reached the interrogation room, Sousuke was storming out. He rammed into Rin’s shoulder, pushing him to the side. Disregarded as trash.

Seijuro had ordered Momo and Ai to go and check on Sousuke, and made a side note not to let him near Haru until he fully cooled down. However, their conversation was background noise. Rin’s red stare caught Haru’s slightly offset look. He wondered if Sousuke meant what he said. Rin wasn’t sure if Haru had ever felt afraid, but the strange air to his being was making him nervous. They held their gaze until Seijuro kicked the door shut. It closed Rin out again.

He couldn’t take another minute of watching Haru’s interrogation. Twisting on his feet, he disjointedly went searching for his partner. This definitely wasn’t what he expected. Sousuke took it worse than he ever could’ve imagined. Even though he admitted to having sex with Haru, his reaction made Rin feel Sousuke brushed it to the side. Had he changed that much since he was pulled from the ocean?

Meandering around the department until he reached the break room, Rin met the worried looks of his two coworkers. Nevertheless, Sousuke refused to look him in the eye. “Get back to the interrogation,” Rin choked. It was hardly a demand. Aiichiro and Momo shared unsure glances. Sousuke cleared his throat. “Get going.” They instantly obeyed his request. Exiting the room, they took a left instead of a right heading for the exit to the building.

Rin didn’t notice; the lump in his throat returned when the two of them were left alone in the room. What Sousuke did was unacceptable, and regardless of how he felt toward Haru and the unsure feelings he had for his partner, it needed to be worked out. They were a team, and to be able to function at an adequate level, this would need to be addressed.

“Are you going to explain what the hell you just did back there?” Rin’s voice was jarringly calm. It surprised him knowing his feelings of anger were brewing.

Sousuke clicked his tongue still refusing to make eye contact.

“I heard what you said to him, Sousuke. It’s not up to you to decide who I’m allowed to be acquainted with!”

His icy teal stare bored into Rin. “If you hadn’t changed since your rescue, I wouldn’t have to interfere! You’re not you right now, Rin. And I can’t watch you destroy yourself!”

“Maybe this is the real me! Did you ever think about that?!”

Sousuke took a step back, unsure what to say. Rin turned his head to the side slightly ashamed with his outburst. It didn’t make his words any less true, and he was glad he could get that off of his chest. But his partner needed time to think about things.

“This isn’t the Rin I grew up with,” he tried to retaliate.

“Maybe I’m not that little kid anymore.” Without a second of hesitation, Rin stepped out of the room leaving him. His hands were shaking. That didn’t go as planned either, but a spur of the moment decision pushed him away from his partner. He needed time to cool off. The tension between all of his coworkers was palpable. Once Haru was proven innocent, maybe things could go back to normal. He began to doubt it. Managing to make it back to the soundproof room, he sat himself back in the chair half listening to the conversation between his boss and the merman. Their words felt distant as Rin contemplated whose fault all of this really was. Did The Fine Diner thrown a wrench into their lives just so this would happen? He had to wonder. All of this started when he called the department.

After a few minutes he realized he was alone. Glancing around, he got back to his feet and peaked out the door. The department was eerily silent. It was highly unusual with Momo around. Rin growled, “Where did those two knuckleheads run off to?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm...any guesses as to where those knuckleheads went?  
> Hint: It isn't going to go over well when Rin finds out. >:D
> 
> Dun dun duuuuuun. Not really. This is pretty tame for what's coming, but this story is still in its enjoyable, semi-cute stage! I hope I could get a laugh out of you! I snickered a little during my rereading process before posting. That's saying something after the day I've had!
> 
> Have a great week everyone! Only four more days until the weekend...damn, that's depressing. ;.;


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops, Sousuke is still a big ass all of the way through this one. o_o
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway, please enjoy!!! Have a safe and enjoyable weekend everyone!!

Rin ambled the passages of their department in search of his two missing coworkers. After searching for the better half of fifteen minutes, the red head was sure they were no longer inside the walls of the police station. This building was usually quiet this time of night, but the loud voice of Momo could always be heard within a mile radius of its origin. Nothing greeted Rin’s soft footfalls. He could practically hear the elevated beating of his heart. The tightening feeling in his stomach was growing. He was sure it was from the anxiety of the situation and was almost certain it had to do with Sousuke’s strange behavior in the break room. His younger friends hesitated with Rin’s request to go back to the interrogation, but seemed more than eager to leave with his partner’s demand. Regardless, they didn’t do as they were told, and made Rin think they were up to something.

That was never a good thing. They had a knack for getting into trouble. Rin exhaled huffily. This was going to be a _very_ long night. Deciding to check on Sousuke, the red head circled back toward the break room. His tall, dark haired partner was nowhere to be seen. Grumpily he stormed back to the soundproof space connected to the interrogation room. Seijuro was still asking Haru questions. The merman was understanding with his answers, volunteering the correct amount of information in a much subtler manner. Proof he was truly attempting to pull the rug from underneath Sousuke’s high horse. The thought amused him in its own way.

His train of thought was redirected once again to Ai and Momo’s shenanigans when a loud noise disrupted the peaceful atmosphere. Rin accidentally left the door open a crack allowing the outside noises to drift in. Wondering if he even wanted to know what they were doing, the officer sighed and returned to his feet. Stepping into the hallway he watched as Momo and Ai carried five gallon buckets from the exit to the lobby. After five or six separate loads from the two of them, Rin decided he needed to know what they were up to.

“R-Rin?!” Ai chirped realizing how close his friend was to their game or whatever it was they were playing at. Rin wasn’t quite sure yet, but he was pleasantly shocked he didn’t drop the bucket.

“Mind telling me what you’re doing?” he tried to remain calm, unsure if an angrier voice would scare them. It took a lot of effort to swallow the growing feeling.

Aiichiro forced a laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. A sure sign he was incredibly nervous or guilty. However, he refused to continue the conversation.

“Oi! Rin!” Momo called, carrying another bucket in from outside. The contents were swishing around in its plastic confinement. He was snickering something deviously. “You have to check this out!”

Ai was frantically shaking his head at Momo as he set the bucket down on the ground and grabbed Rin’s wrist. He began yanking him toward the door laughing. “Keep your shirt on, Ai. This is so worth it!”

Depositing Rin next to the double door exit to their building, he pushed one door wide open. At first Rin had to squint to get a good idea what was truly happening in the dark. Ai’s police cruiser had the trunk lid popped. One more bucket remained in the back. But what caught his eye was the slamming trunk of Sousuke’s vehicle. He rounded toward them with a blown up baby pool resting on his shoulder, subsequently freezing in his tracks when his teal stare caught Rin’s red eyes.

“Tah-dah!” Momo cried, throwing his arms toward Sousuke like he was some trophy.

“What the hell?” was all Rin could muster. He could feel his eye twitching.

The baby pool itself was half clear, half yellow covered in childish sea creatures, but seeing Sousuke lugging it around was truly something to behold.

“Shut up,” Sousuke mumbled, walking past his two coworkers.

Rin slowly began putting the puzzle pieces together. “Little late for a swim, don’t you think?” At first he didn’t believe Sousuke would go to such measures to prove a point, but the longer he thought, the more reasonable it became. He was angry with Rin for his choice without regarding his partner’s feelings, and even more pissed at Haru for making him look like an ass in front of everyone. An outburst like his could have him suspended. Thankfully he only grabbed Haru’s shirt or things could’ve gotten much worse.

Sousuke clicked his tongue. “I could ask you the same question.”

“Just because you’re mad at me doesn’t mean you can take it out on him.”

“What makes you think I’m mad at you?” Sousuke’s cold voice sent goose bumps trailing over Rin’s skin. The red head took a step back in response. Was it fear he was feeling? It undoubtedly wasn’t amusing.

“Turns out, you haven’t told me the whole truth. What kind of person would withhold important information from his own friend? I was pleasantly surprised to hear Ai’s side of the story. Since you kindly left a few key details out, I’m collecting my own answers my own way.” Sousuke poured the first bucket into the plastic pool. Rin could almost taste the saltiness to it. They went to the ocean to retrieve the water. Rin’s face bleached white.

“Key details? I told you everything,” Rin lied. There was one undisclosed detail he was holding back for Haru’s sake. He wasn’t comfortable sharing the fact that he wasn’t exactly human. That kind of secret was earned, not stolen. He questioned how much Ai had seen that night. Judging by the operation unfolding, it was probably well before Rin realized. However much he saw, it was imperative not to allow this to continue. Haru couldn’t get in that water and Rin was bound and determined not to let it happen.

Sousuke straightened up. “You must think you’re so smart lying through those teeth of yours. Ai saw enough to have him arrested and charged, Rin. He could be looking at jail time. So before you say another word, your boyfriend is taking a dip and we’re just going to see how much of a human he really is.”

Rin’s fists curled tight, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. “Don’t even think about it.”

“Acting tough now? Don’t try and stop me. I warned I would take you off of this case, but I might just request a new partner instead.”

“ _What?_ ” Rin choked. The room was starting to spin around him. He could feel Momo and Ai’s eyes following the conversation, resting on him solely now. They were uncomfortable to be in the same room as them. This argument was going too far.

“How can I work with someone I can’t trust?”

He was finding it difficult to swallow. Rin’s world began to blur as Sousuke’s words echoed in his head. He had done everything for him, even saved his life on a number of occasions. But he had drawn the line and clearly stepped over it. And it was all for what, to prove a point, or to have Rin for himself?

“Sousuke, I think maybe we shouldn’t,” Ai began, his little voice cracking through Rin’s panic-induced state. The seasoned officer dumped another bucket of saltwater into the pool acting like he didn’t hear his underling.

Rin wanted nothing more than to be able to ask his partner why, what was the point in all of this? Without a sound able to reach his vocal chords, he found himself moving his lips silently.

“What’s all of the commotion going on out here?” Seijuro’s demanding voice chilled the room. Sousuke was the only one seemingly unaffected by the boss’ presence. “Momo?”

His brother chuckled frantically. “A science experiment?”

“Ai?”

The poor kid jumped, face going ashen. He tried to form a sentence but could only sputter incoherent words. Just as quick as he started, he quieted, turning his gaze toward Rin. Seijuro’s golden stare hovered on the red head for a short time before he looked at Sousuke.

“What is that?”

The dark haired man poured the last bucket of water into the baby pool filling it to the brim. “It’s an experiment, like Momo said.”

Seijuro inhaled sharply. “If this has anything to do with what Aiichiro saw last night, you all owe me a very large explanation.”

“It has everything to do with what he saw, sir.” Sousuke’s serious tone lowered the temperature in the room. Rin was unstable on his feet and still unable to voice his concerns. He remained where he stood, eyes trailed on the tiled floor. “Rin’s denying– ”

“That’s enough.” Seijuro cut him off. “I don’t want to hear another word. Everyone in my office now.”

When Aiichiro and Momo moved toward their boss, Sousuke stood firm. “I kindly refuse, sir,” came his defiant words. He wasn’t backing down. “Rin is refusing to tell us anything about that night, denying the fact that something was rather off with his new friend. I think he’s been hiding the truth. I believe what Ai saw that night.”

Panic spiked through Rin’s body. His partner was attempting to talk Seijuro into this wild ploy to reveal Haru’s secret, and would obviously stop at nothing to do so.

“Let it go, Sousuke.”

“I can’t. What if it’s true? Maybe a human eating other humans isn’t our problem. What if it’s a merman eating humans? This could be our answer. He could be The Fine Diner. Our search would be over. People’s lives would be safe again.”

Seijuro was quietly thinking things through. “He isn’t our killer. I’ve confirmed with a few people on other nights of true Diner murders and all of his alibis hold true. So what you’re trying to do isn’t exactly humane. Unless you can talk him into it, you are not allowed to proceed.”

Sousuke’s eyes narrowed at the Chief’s words. “Are you absolutely sure he’s innocent? All he needs to do is take a little swim for us. There isn’t any harm in that.”

At last, Rin found his voice as relief rushed through his body calming the chaos. Maybe it was knowing that his gut feeling wasn’t wrong. Haru was proven innocent. The noise he produced wasn’t loud, but with the silence around him, the four other men could hear him clearly. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t know a damn thing about him. This isn’t right and you know it. Just stop and think about what you’re trying to do.”

“Everyone calm down,” Seijuro’s voice boomed. Once the tension in the air cleared slightly, he continued. “It’s been a long night for everyone. I suggest you go back home and we can meet back here around eleven tomorrow morning after a good night’s rest. Is that clear?” Silent nods greeted him. “Good. Now get rid of that ridiculous pool.” He turned to go, digging in his pocket for the key to Haru’s handcuffs.

The four remaining men shared unsure glances. Rin could feel the anger burning off of Sousuke. He shouldn’t be as upset as he was. There had to be a reason behind his actions. He couldn’t find an easy way to ask. After denying him answers with deliberate questions, it was hard to find a new approach. It should be easy. Rin was an officer of the law. But interrogating his partner was something of a daunting task. It would have to be approached carefully.

They could hear a door closing in the distance as two sets of footsteps approached them. Haru’s blue stare was trailed on Rin as Seijuro escorted him down the hallway. The handcuffs had been removed and he was rubbing one of his wrists, but he looked calm. Understandably so, after all, he was innocent.

“I’m trying to save you from yourself.”

Sousuke’s whisper tickled his eardrum just as Haru reached them. Within milliseconds, he was falling into the vat of ocean water. Rin blinked, almost missing Sousuke’s underhanded move. He deliberately tripped him and with a slight nudge, Haru landed right where he wanted him. Water was overflowing the boundaries, spilling across the floor. Haru was sprawled in the blown up pool helpless, eyes wide with shock. Rin reached his hand out in an attempt to pull him from the water as quickly as possible, but even then he knew it was too late.

The sound of ripped clothing entered his ears. Haru’s fishtail appeared larger than life, tearing through his pants. It was stunning before, but seeing it in the light was utterly breathtaking. And it did just that. No one could breathe yet alone move, their eyes plastered to the merman on display before them.

“Are you for real?!” Momo’s voice shattered the silence. He took a few sloppy steps forward and grabbed the end of Haru’s tail holding it to the light. It was slightly transparent spread to its full length, something Rin didn’t get to see earlier. “This is awesome! Why did you keep this a secret?!”

Seijuro quickly had his brother in a headlock, yanking him from Haru’s tail. The merman’s head was low; wet hair falling over his face. Sousuke took a step forward. His eyes wide with shock rivaling Haru’s earlier look. He reached out a hand toward the scales but never quite reached them. He hovered his fingers over Haru’s tail until the merman shifted. He jumped as a mouthful of water splashed his face.

Momo burst into a fit of laughter. Even Rin couldn’t hold back the grin on his lips. Haru shook the moisture from his hair taking on Sousuke’s teal glare straight on. The officer was drenched from the top of his head down to his shoulders, and if looks could kill. Haru didn’t say a word, only matched his own defiant stare back toward the officer. During that moment, they exchanged silent words between them, but Rin could hear them loud and clear. This marked the beginning of their war. With the earlier incident, they were now on an even playing field. Rin’s stomach dropped further sucking the humor from his face as he finally realized the full extent of their dispute.

This wasn’t a fight of strength between them. This was a fight over him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Rin...everyone loves you, you should know that!
> 
> I found the time to post this today! Annnnd realized that I completed zero writing this whole week. So feel good you're slowly catching up...while I silently panic. ;.;
> 
>  
> 
> An update: I'm about to start chapter 24 if you were curious. There's a whole lot of story yet to tell. And I'm not so sure that's a good thing.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to phase two!
> 
> Now that Haru was proven innocent, any guesses who the killer is?? I've left at least one solid clue in the last 14 chapters. You've all read it. Hahah, good luck finding it back though!
> 
> Please enjoy! Sorry for any mistakes.

“You didn’t have to spit water into his face,” Rin complained handing Haru a towel. The merman, now calmly seated in Seijuro’s office with two human legs, took it gratefully. He was clothed with a spare set of sweatpants Seijuro dug out of the back room.

Patting his face dry, he met Rin’s red eyes. “He deserved it.”

“Dammit, Haru. Do you have any idea what you’ve started?” Rin was livid, more with himself for allowing this to even transpire. It was probably inevitable, and knowing that Haru’s secret was contained between the five policemen on the Diner case made him feel a little better about the situation. If he could trust Momo to keep his mouth shut things would be even better.

Currently, Seijuro was making the three other policemen swear they wouldn’t tell anyone about Haru’s secret. Rin wondered what else they were discussing that was taking them so long, but his duty was to Haru at the moment. The last thing they wanted was for Haru to press charges. Rin doubted he would, it wasn’t like him to go out of his way for something so trivial.

“He was looking at you like a piece of meat, Rin. What was I supposed to do?”

“Let it go,” Rin begged, plopping into the seat next to his lover. He covered his face with his hands wishing this day was over. What had started as a simple task became something overly complex. If that wasn’t the epitome of his life, he wasn’t sure what was. It was almost hard to believe that last night was the first night he spent with Haru. So much happened over the course of twenty four hours, Rin wasn’t sure what day it was anymore.

Haru’s silence wasn’t surprising, but the red head wished he would say something. Sighing out of frustration, Rin dropped his hands to his lap. “I need a drink.” Fairly certain Chief Mikoshiba kept a bottle of rum hidden in his office somewhere, the cop pushed himself to his feet to begin the search. It wasn’t like he wanted to drink his boss’ alcohol; he just felt he needed to be doing something productive until Seijuro allowed them to leave. After opening and closing a few of the cabinet drawers he contemplated giving up.

“So why is everyone on edge?”

Rin froze. Haru was staring at the floor, his back toward his lover, completely unmoving. “What do you mean?”

His voice was quieter, like he was afraid to speak. Tensing his shoulders still refusing to look at Rin, Haru continued, “Even you’re not acting like yourself right now.”

The red head bit his lip. He was overly tired and hungry, and grumpy because of those feelings. He put another hand to his head, rubbing the stress from his eyebrows. “It’s probably because they thought you were going to be an easy answer for them. Since you’re innocent, things are back to square one with the investigation.”

Haru glanced at Rin. “That explains them, but why are you?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose unable to keep any information back. It wasn’t like he wasn’t involved with the state of things. If anything, after tonight, he deserved to know. And maybe knowing would make things a little safer for both of them. He could already hear Seijuro yelling at him as he opened his lips, “We have a strong suspicion that the Diner is coming after me. A-And I…” His lower lip quivered as tears formed in his eyes. He couldn’t even tell Haru the whole truth. What if something happened to the merman? What if something happened to his sister or mother? What if one of his friends got caught in the crossfire? The mental stress from the last few hours was causing a breakdown. Rin wouldn’t normally let these thoughts hover in his head for more than a few seconds because he needed to function in the line of duty. They were debilitating him now with the added tension of Haru’s interrogation and Sousuke’s attitude toward them both.

Haru’s eyes widened as the tears started falling down Rin’s cheeks. He tried to cover his face again, but the merman was near him in seconds. He pulled Rin’s hands down to his sides before drawing him into a hug.

“It’s going to be okay. We’ll get through this.”

Rin rested his forehead on Haru’s shoulders choking back sobs. Tears were streaming down his face. He was mentally and physically exhausted. He wasn’t quite sure how Haru was managing to act so awake at the moment. Appreciative of the hug, Rin grabbed the bottom of his damp shirt and pulled Haru closer, unable to get enough of his body against his own. He only wished that they could go home together so he could fall asleep in Haru’s comforting embrace.

The door to Seijuro’s office squeaked open. Rin pulled himself from the merman’s tangling arms. The Chief stopped at the doorway. The dark circles under his eyes were apparent. He too was pinching the bridge of his nose trying to de-stress from the situation.

“Everything is good on our end. You two are free to leave for the night. We’ve decided to meet back here in the afternoon instead of eleven seeing as it’s already three in the morning. Please come dressed and ready for work, Rin.”

“Yes, sir,” he mumbled, resting his head back on Haru’s shoulder. He didn’t give a damn what his coworkers thought anymore. Haru blatantly spelled out the nature of their relationship. It wasn’t anything they didn’t know already.

“Make sure he gets home safely, Haruka.”

The merman nodded putting his hands on Rin’s shoulders. “Let’s go.”

The walk back home was a blur. Rin could hardly keep his swollen eyes open. Haru was supporting him not unlike last night when the red head carried him home. His body felt so warm and comforting. He didn’t care that someone was hunting him. He didn’t care where Haru was taking him. He didn’t even care what Haru did to him when they did reach their destination. Haru was there and for once since the Diner case began, he felt completely safe. However, his body craved sleep. Before he knew it, clothes were being pulled from his skin and his head hit the pillow. He was asleep instantly. He dreamt of dismembered body parts and fishtails all with a strangely pinkish hue.

 

* * *

 

Rin stirred, peeling his eyes open to the offending light streaming through the blinds. His lids were crusted shut from the late night breakdown, and because of the stress his body felt like it had been hit by a truck. Groaning, he managed to lift one arm to clean the gunk from his eyes. He glared at the sunbeam hitting him in the face. Recognizing the window, Rin realized he was at Haru’s. Rolling over to an empty bed, the digital clock on the nightstand read 9:22. He closed his eyes again disappointed. Seijuro said he didn’t need to be at work until the afternoon. He wasn’t about to miss another few hours of sleep.

“It’s not okay!” Came a distant voice. It was barely audible but the unsure tone put Rin on edge. That wasn’t Haru calling out. Someone else was in his home. Attempting to ignore the anxiety filling his being, Rin squeezed his eyes tighter, but his ears were on high alert. He could hear the mumbling of someone talking, probably Haru, but his voice wasn’t loud enough to make out the words.

“Do you have any idea what could happen if you let this go?!”

It was that voice again, and it was more distressed than before. Rin pulled the blankets off of his body. He didn’t notice until now how sweaty he became overnight. Was it the odd dream?

“Haru!”

There wasn’t time to think about it now. Grabbing a pair of Haru’s sweatpants from the closet, he threw them on over his underwear and began his decent. Attempting not to sound hasty and panicked, Rin slowed his pace on the stairs reducing the reverberating noise of his footsteps. He turned into the kitchen, the most obvious place to have a morning conversation, and came face to face with Makoto.

“R-Rin?” he stammered, shocked by his sudden appearance.

Rin’s red stare continued past him in search of the familiar look of Haru’s blue gaze. He was calmly sitting on the opposite end of the table, hands resting on the wood, and his phone tilted toward the spot Rin suspected Makoto just left.

“Is everything okay?” he asked, his voice much more gruff than he expected. He definitely didn’t get enough sleep.

Makoto turned back to Haru. The merman closed his eyes with a sigh, “Everything is fine.”

The tall, brown haired man tightened his lips obviously wanting to say something. Instead he excused himself and walked down the hallway toward the bathroom. Once the door was shut, Rin turned back to Haru.

“What’s going on? I heard elevated voices upstairs.”

Haru lied back against the floor, legs stretching underneath the table. He folded his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. “It’s nothing.”

Anger flooded through Rin with his answer. “It’s obviously not fine. Makoto is worried. Tell me what’s going on.” Rin had known Makoto for a very long time. It was comical to him that his friend had known Haru for an even longer time. Yet, they never met each other until this year, at least not really. Because he knew Makoto well enough, he knew that something was causing him concern. But the last person he’d expect Haru to turn to would be him. He didn’t realize how close they were until now.

Haru peeled his eyes open staring at the ceiling. “Are you hungry?”

As if by magic, Rin’s stomach growled. “No,” he lied. He couldn’t recall the last time he ate. But the merman was avoiding the conversation and he wasn’t having it. Haru pulled himself out from underneath the table and walked toward the refrigerator. “I’ll make you something.”

Rin stepped forward, grabbing his wrist and turning him around. Their eyes met. He could see Haru’s blue orbs swimming. The red head tried again, accenting every word, “What is going on?”

“Someone found out about his secret,” Makoto said, his voice shaky. Rin released Haru’s arm to face his returning friend. His head was low, eyebrows furrowed. “And is trying to extort it.”

“What?” Rin spat, knowing full well what Makoto was saying. He looked back at Haru who refused to meet his eyes.

“It’s fine. No need to worry.”

“Stop saying that!” Makoto yelled, stepping to the table to grab Haru’s phone. He looked toward Rin for help, handing him the blue device. Unlocking the screen Rin’s eyes widened. An unknown number had sent a picture of Haru as a merman. It was taken some time last night from outside of the police department. The ridiculously nonsensical baby pool was there and everything. His eyes drifted to the text.

 

_Confess to your crimes or you have twenty four hours before this goes viral._

 

Rin’s mouth dried as he read the words aloud. “This is definitely not under my idea of _fine_ , Haru.”

The merman turned back to the stove and began cooking enough breakfast for three. “I don’t see why you are so worked up about this.”

“Worked up?” Rin slammed his phone against the table causing Makoto to jump. “I’m a little beyond worked up. I don’t even know where to start!”

Makoto took a seat sensing the tension in the air. “Thankfully he had the sense to call me about this. As you can see, he doesn’t seem to care. I’m glad you’re here, maybe you can talk some sense into him.”

Rin threw himself on the ground sitting opposite of Makoto. He was trying to think things through his head. “Someone was outside the department last night knowing full well what was going to happen. There isn’t a logical explanation other than that. But this text doesn’t even begin to explain anything. And crimes? What crimes? This isn’t referring to the Diner case, is it?”

Haru audibly sighed, his words a stage beyond monotone. “I didn’t kill or eat anyone.”

“Then what is this?” Rin asked, shoving a finger at his phone.

“Probably a stupid ploy to get money. If it goes viral, it goes viral.”

“Your life will be ruined, Haru! This is a clear enough picture of your face. Your privacy will be shot. You might not be able to stay here anymore,” Makoto complained, his voice lowering as the realization of the situation hit him. The room became overly quiet as the idea sunk in. Even Haru appeared to halt breakfast.

“Who else knows of your secret?” Rin asked. “No one at the department could’ve taken this picture. Who else could it be?”

Makoto’s green eyes widened with shock before falling on the back of Haru’s dark head of hair. He didn’t seem overly excited to answer, so his friend answered for him. “Well, I know. Nagisa, Rei, Coach Sasabe.” When he caught Rin’s surprised look plastering his face, he explained further. “There was an incident in high school. I already knew at the time, but tried to stop it anyway. Nagisa got it in his head to do a training camp on a beach during swim season. Before I knew it, they were dragging him into the ocean.”

“Kisumi knows too,” Haru added putting the food onto plates and setting them in front of his guests. He handed Rin and Makoto chopsticks before joining them at the table.

Makoto sighed, “I forgot about middle school. Wrong place at the wrong time I guess. But I don’t think any of them would want to do this to Haru. They’re all friends of ours.”

Rin felt a twinge of jealousy. More people knew his secret than he realized. It didn’t feel as special that he shared it with him now conscious that others knew as well. He stared at the food Haru prepared for him. It was making his mouth water but his appetite wasn’t there.

“How can you let this go so easily?” Rin demanded in a more calmed voice. It pained him to know that Haru would just let this happen regardless of what it could do to his life, to their relationship.

Haru set his chopsticks down on the table before meeting Rin’s eyes again. “What do you want me to do? I didn’t commit any crimes.”

Makoto choked on his food. Haru got up from his seat to fetch them all some water. Rin watched their friend recover. “S-Sorry,” the green-eyed man wheezed taking the offering of water gladly. After a few swallows, he set the glass down carefully.

“Are you sure you’re not guilty of something?” Rin probed. Haru was difficult to read sometimes, but Makoto was a dead giveaway.

His friend shifted awkwardly as Haru continued to take gentle bites of his food. His gaze fell on Haru before shifting to Rin. He must’ve felt the need to share on what thought caused him to choke earlier. His green eyes fell on Haru once more, and he said quietly, “You don’t think he could be talking about your parents, could he?”

Haru slammed his chopsticks on the table. Rin’s heart rate spiked. Not once did he see Haru angry, and it wasn’t a force to be reckoned with. Makoto outwardly shrunk in size, guilty of even bringing the idea up. “Sorry,” he breathed, lowering his head. “It’s just…”

“Don’t,” Haru demanded. “That was an accident and nothing more.”

Rin swallowed. This wasn’t something he expected. He could feel the tension in the air. It was unlike anything he’d experienced from Haru before. His curiosity wanted to know more, but Rin kept his lips sealed. It was something Haru obviously didn’t like to bring up. It must’ve been a painful memory. He wondered if it had anything to do with him being a merman, and since he was one, would one or both of his parents have to be one as well?

It was a question for another day. He couldn’t just sit here idolizing a future for himself with Haru when getting through the next few hours would make or break it. He needed to think up a solution and fast. Blackmailing was against the law and maybe if they played their cards right, they could come out on top.

“How much time do we have left?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't ask me what happened to his parents, I haven't planned that far ahead. XD Fuck me.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy! Sorry for any mistakes!

“This idea is ridiculous,” Makoto complained under his breath. The three men sauntered across the parking lot of the town’s aquarium. Rin was slightly ahead of the other two, determined to find a solution to this mess. Haru side glanced his uneasy friend before his eyes fell on Rin’s back.

The red head was on his phone. He felt it necessary to contact the police since they were dealing with blackmail. Rin had taken a screenshot of Haru’s anonymous threat, sent it to his own phone, and forwarded it onto his boss. He was in a deep conversation with Seijuro at the moment. “Yes. I understand. Sorry for the extra work. Yes, sir.”

Makoto leaned toward Haru, his voice even lower, “So are you two dating?”

Haru shrugged, his eyes never leaving Rin.

“Did he spend the night?”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Haru asked innocently.

“We’re in the parking lot now about to head in. Yes. We’ll see you inside. Thanks.” Rin ended the call and glanced back at his friends. “Seijuro’s agreed to meet us here to talk things over. It sounds like Sasabe will be accommodating?”

Makoto nodded with an upbeat hum recovering from Haru’s strange comment. “He’s our old coach. He’d do anything for us.”

“Good. We’re going to need all of the help we can get.”

Haru sighed finding the pavement more interesting than the topic at hand. Rin and Makoto both caught the usual behavior. Makoto half smiled and Rin’s lips downturned.

“Try to act like you care about your life a little,” Rin nagged, slowing his pace to walk side by side with Haru. “It’s disconcerting.”

They reached the door to the extensive building. Makoto called Goro after they had left Haru’s to give him a heads up of their early arrival. The aquarium normally didn’t open until 11:00, and it was only a little after ten now. They needed time to iron out the plan.

“It’s not like I have any control of the outcome.”

Rin clicked his tongue, unhappy with Haru’s reasoning but didn’t have a decent comeback at the moment. He heavily tapped his knuckles on the door. They were pulled open almost immediately. What greeted them was a middle-aged man with blond hair and a toothy smile. He wore the known navy uniform of the aquarium with a crooked nametag stating Sasabe.

“Coach!” Makoto called, his face illuminating.

“Hey there Makoto! Haru! Damn did you guys ever grow up.” He ran a hand over his combed back hair. “Oh, how rude of me, come in! It sounds like you need some help?”

“Coach, this is Rin. He’s an old friend of mine,” Makoto continued with the pleasantries as the three of them walked through the threshold. Goro locked the doors behind them.

“Ah, yes. Nice to meet you.” Rin grabbed his hand with a smile. He wasn’t at all like he pictured their coach would be. From Makoto’s stories, he sounded like a demon. The man before him was a little odd but overall very nice. “Come on back to my office and we can sit and talk things over. Eh…” he trailed off, eyes darting around the entrance area. “Haruka?”

Rin’s stomach sunk. He frantically trailed his eyes over the lobby looking for the familiar dark hair and blue eyes. His initial search came back negative. How did he slip under his radar and disappear so quickly?

“He’s probably looking at the fish again,” Makoto sighed calmly, turning toward the entrance to the exhibits.

Goro burst into laughter. “I guess some things never change! Good thing I locked off the entrances to the tanks or we’d have another issue on our hands. Might have to fish the poor kid out again.”

Makoto pushed through the turnstile followed quickly by Rin. “Don’t remind me,” he sighed. “There’s a reason I haven’t brought him back with me since you opened this place.”

Rin glanced between Makoto and Goro his interest peaked. “What happened?”

“A near disaster if Makoto didn’t stop him. He somehow managed to find the entrance to the biggest tank I own. He was half naked and inches from jumping in before your friend stopped him. He would’ve been seen by hundreds of people if…ahem.” Goro cleared his throat.

“He knows,” Makoto laughed catching Rin’s dumbfounded look.

Chuckling awkwardly, he rubbed the back of his head, continuing, “It’s like he can smell the water and is instantly drawn in. He wouldn’t care if the circus was happening, nothing gets between him and the water.”

They turned the corner into a darkened hallway. It was almost like a tunnel through the large tank. Rin’s eyes were drawn up as a small shark swam overhead. He felt slightly guilty. For as long as he lived in this place, he never visited the local aquarium. Hundreds of fish cohabitated the water in this display. Bright colors shimmered in his eyes as the light reflected off of their scales. Suddenly wishing he would’ve visited sooner, his stomach flipped. If his plan were okayed through the department and with Sasabe, his visits would be more frequent. If only they would be leisurely.

If all went according to his plan, Haru would be on display like an animal. Instead of his blackmailer extorting him, their plan was to grab the upper hand and control it their own way. Starting tomorrow, Haru would be the newest exhibit piece. Goro would allow them access to parts of the aquarium most people didn’t have the right of entry to, and they could alert the public drawing in crowds. This would all be in hopes of flushing out their criminal while keeping Haru’s secret safe. Photography wasn’t allowed inside Sasabe’s aquarium, rather unusual for similar places. With the help of the department, they could control the crowds and the illegal use of their phones and have someone guarding the entrance to Haru’s new home for the next week.

Foolproof, if it worked. But wasn’t anything if it did? Rin hoped one week would flush out their blackmailer and this could be marked as another glance in the rearview mirror. He discussed the plan over with Makoto and Haru getting their okay before proceeding. It wasn’t going to be easy. The merman’s secret would be out but at least it would be their doing.

They walked through another room, this one with smaller built in tanks housing one to five fish. Haru wasn’t found this room either.

“Are you sure he can’t get inside the displays?” Rin asked, his apprehension growing.

“Try not to worry. He’s probably in the next exhibit,” Makoto said as calmly as he could. It wasn’t helping Rin’s nerves in the slightest.

“That’s right. It’s the biggest one I have!” Goro added. “It would be like him to be drawn to it.”

Rin was the first to cross the threshold from the previous room. It was like the first exhibit but on a much larger scale. Large great white sharks calmly swam in this one with groups of smaller, saltwater fish tailing them. Hundreds of vibrant colored fish occupied the water. It put the rest of the building to shame. Once his eyes adjusted, they fell onto the merman standing still with one hand on the glass. He could tell his eyes were swimming with desire.

“Haru!” Rin called, the annoyance in his tone apparent. Storming to him, Rin put a hand on his shoulder attempting to pull him from his daze. “The plan, remember?”

“Mackerel.”

Rin’s face hardened. _Seriously? He came all of the way in here to look at mackerel?_

“There you are!” Makoto called, running to them. He eyed the tank before sighing. “As per usual, he’s found the mackerel. I should’ve known.”

The red head’s gut wrenched. The longer Makoto and Haru were around him, the more he felt he was in love with a complete stranger. Realization on the matter was almost heartbreaking. It was a two way street, but Rin couldn’t help but feel Haru knew more about him than he did of the merman. His hand slipped from his shoulder rather defeated. He began to wonder if this plan of his was a good idea or if it would lead him down a path full of heartbreak.

“Are you serious? Is that you, Makoto?” A suave voice filled the room, echoing off of the glass walls that surrounded the small group. The tall man lifted his head to the origin of the voice with a surprised look covering his face.

“It can’t be,” Makoto started, “Kisumi?”

A man the same age as Rin walked in from the exit of the exhibit they were corralled in, Seijuro following close at hand. His light pink hair and unruly smile made his heart skip a beat. He wasn’t quite sure why. He recognized the name from the earlier conversation with Haru. He was one of the people who knew his secret. He must’ve been leading Seijuro through the building. Rin figured there was another way into this particular section of the aquarium. It was good information to know for later.

“And Haru? What are the chances? How are you two? I haven’t seen you since high school!” He calmly walked up to them attempting to put an arm around Haru. The merman lifted his hand immediately stopping his advance with a more than annoyed look on his face. Rin’s lips curled slightly. At least he knew where he stood when it came to one of his friends.

“We’re great! I didn’t know you worked here?” Makoto was more than happy to answer for both of them. Rin was realizing how common that was too. Seijuro joined him at his side eyeing the conversation curiously.

“After my parents shipped me off to college, I came back home and got a job here as security and maintenance.”

Sasabe cleared his throat, “If you’re okay with it, I thought I wouldn’t bother the police with such a trivial matter we can handle ourselves. I know Kisumi does a great job and is more than qualified for the task.”

“No.”

The room quieted as all eyes fell onto Haru. Rin was just as surprised as everyone else was with his calm outburst. His eyebrows pursed with concern. “Haru?” His blue eyes fell on Rin. The seemed restless, almost nervous. His face was calm, a perfect mask.

“I have to concur,” Seijuro stepped in. “Blackmail is a very serious offense. I would personally feel much better if we had some of our own men here as well. I’m sure your employee is very good at his job. I mean no insult. And seeing as Haruka is our bait, I feel we should at the very least fulfill his request.”

“None taken,” Kisumi added. “I may be able to handle all of those people, but the help will be greatly appreciated.” He cocked his head to the side with a smile, his purple eyes hovering on the merman. Rin detected a slight blush on his cheeks. It pissed him off. Kisumi continued, “The last thing I want is something to happen to Haru.”

“All right then. Should we head to my office to discuss things further?”

“I’m sure by now everyone has knowledge of Rin’s plan,” Seijuro started wasting no time with formalities. “It’s fairly simple, starting tomorrow, Haru will be here for one week. You will have Kisumi here with the help of three of my own men crowd controlling the area in an attempt to flush out our perp. I suggest you start getting the word out, that is if Haru is okay with this plan?”

Silence filled the hall once more. Haru’s blue eyes were trailed back on the few mackerel hovering near the glass. Once he realized they were waiting for his answer, he sighed. Without a single glance toward anyone, he flatly said, “Whatever Rin wants.”

Seijuro cleared his throat. “Then we shall all meet back here at the end of the day to get final preparations in order. Sasabe, most of this is in your hands.”

“He’ll be well taken care of, you can count on that!”

The Chief nodded, clapping his hands together. “If you have questions, give me or Rin a call. Now, if you would excuse us, it’s time we get back to work, and time for the aquarium to open for the day.”

Sasabe looked at his watch. “That can’t be the time?! O-Okay then, I’ll catch you guys later. Stay as long as you like!” he called, rushing out of the room with a wave of his hand. His voice quieted as he drifted away.

“Rin?” Seijuro called, turning to leave.

“I’ll meet you outside,” he said, unsure how to properly say goodbye to Haru with all of these people around. Seijuro nodded quietly, following Sasabe’s trail out of the room. The red head turned to face Haru again, this time pulling his attention from the fish. “I guess I’ll see you tonight.”

Makoto cleared his throat, awkwardly blurting, “Kisumi, can you show me where the bathroom is?”

“Sure thing,” he stated rather slowly, with one eyebrow cocked. He was catching on to the strange feel in the room. “It’s this way.” Escorted out of the hall, Makoto’s green eyes turning back with a hopeful gleam before disappearing around the corner.

Suddenly they were alone and all Rin could hear was his heartbeat pounding through his body. His skin blushed as Haru looked at him remarkably.

“Are you sure this is what you want to do?”

His blue eyes circled the room again taking in the view. This would be his tank for the next week. “As long as you’re here.”

“You know they’ll have other officers from another department on duty, not me.”

Haru smiled, stepping closer. He broke through the personal space boundary, their noses slightly brushing. “Come visit?” His breath tickled Rin’s skin causing goose bumps to appear. Rin sucked in a breath of air unable to release it. The location was wrong for what Haru was egging on, but he couldn’t help himself.

Propelling forward, their lips met. Haru wrapped his arms around his lower back, working their way under his shirt. Rin slid his hand into his silky hair still unable to get enough of him. He knew he was chancing something more by keeping their lips locked longer than a few seconds, but he found it nearly impossible to break away.

Using his arms, Haru closed the gap, their bodies now flushed against each other. A growl sounded deep in Rin’s throat, signaling his want for so much more. The disappointment of waking to an empty bed was finally returning with a vengeance. He rubbed his hips against Haru’s as the desperation grew.

The merman broke his lips free, resting his forehead against Rin’s shoulder. The breath the red head was holding in finally slipped past his lips. The sexual tension seemed to dissipate slightly. Their make out session turned into a hug. Even though that wasn’t what Rin wanted, he knew it was necessary.

“I’ll be here every day,” Rin finally answered, kissing Haru on the forehead. “I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plan! It's always good to have a plan. If they work out they way they are meant to that is.
> 
> I'm totally not foreshadowing at all.
> 
> And I'm totally not being sarcastic in any way.
> 
>  
> 
> On a serious note, I still didn't get a lot of writing done this week either soooo, I might go a week before posting the next one. Just a heads up. If I get some writing done this weekend (which is a long holiday one for me), the next chapter update will be a happy little surprise on Monday/Tuesday! Just be thankful I'm not doing this for the next chapter because hoooooly cliffhanger. Hahaha ha haaaa ha. Suck it.
> 
> Please have a wonderful and safe weekend! Until next time. :)


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Thanks for being patient through that! It was much appreciated. Though I know some of you (like myself) have waited well over a few months for chapter updates on other fics, even one week can feel like a very long time.
> 
> I did get a lot of writing done in the last week and I'm so terribly close to the end now. I'm just super afraid it'll take me two months to write three chapters just because of the content. 
> 
> On a positive note, as a thank you for your patience (sort of), here is a longer chapter! Enjoy! :)

The sun was setting faster than Rin hoped. He was anxious to see Haru again, but it meant saying goodbye in a way. They hadn’t dug up any new leads on The Fine Diner. The dead woman had no prior connections with any of the other victims besides the earlier random non-confirmed Diner kill. Rin was beginning to wonder if it was just a chance encounter. Maybe the Diner was angry at the situation? After being at work for the first day since her death, Sousuke and Rin focused their attention on the two deaths that correlated with themselves and could potentially be The Fine Diner’s work.

They crossed checked any murders a few days or up to a week before all of the confirmed Diner victims. The only one that existed was the one Nagisa and Rei had filled them in on, the file they let the department borrow. Upon closer examination, it was heavily assumed the same person killed both women. The murder weapon was strikingly similar and a lot of the wound angles were the same. Regardless of their discovery, no fingerprints or DNA samples were found and there wasn’t a single suspect in mind. They were digging a bigger hole attempting to unmask their serial cannibal.

Sousuke was being more than cooperative with Rin, but after learning from Momo about the discussion they had with Seijuro last night, it wasn’t a surprise. From what it sounded like, their Chief ripped him a new one for his shitty attitude and bad behavior. Rin guessed Seijuro suspected Sousuke pushed Haru into the baby pool.

As the end of their workday drew near, Sousuke started acting weird. Rin noticed the odd behavior, but didn’t feel like asking him unsure if he wanted to start another argument. In an attempt to ignore it, Rin started to drift away from him, visiting the bathroom and break room frequently. Using the time away from his coworkers, he checked his phone in hopes of hearing from Haru. Not a single notification greeted him. It damped his already sour mood.

“Rin?” It was Sousuke. He had followed the red head into the break room five minutes before Seijuro and him were supposed to leave for the aquarium.

Rin pocketed his phone and turned to his partner. The overly tall man was blocking his exit. Trying to stop his face from displaying his dejected feelings, Rin decided to play his game rather than try and push past him. “Yeah?”

“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Rin subconsciously glanced at the clock. It was ticking slower than usual. Four minutes remained before their departure. Enjoying the accommodating Sousuke and not wanting to cause his mood to swing, Rin continued the conversation. “What’s up?”

“I was wondering if it was okay for me to join you tonight?”

Rin reversed physically, taken back by his comment. “Why?” He paused, thoughts of exploitation entering his mind. “So you can push Haru back into the water again?”

Sousuke looked hurt by his comment. He sighed, continuing slower, “Rin, I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry. What I did to you last night wasn’t fair. I wasn’t thinking about your position or your feelings toward Haruka. I guess I was swallowed by my own jealousy.” His teal eyes shifted away from Rin looking for the correct words. “I know this situation is becoming more difficult by the day, the hour even. As your friend, I want to be there for you, and I feel like you could really use one of those right now.”

Rin’s eyes fell to his feet. He must’ve taken some of what Seijuro said to heart. It wasn’t like he was innocent either. Retaliating full force toward him was all Rin could do at the time. Sousuke had become a bigger person to apologize like that. It pulled at Rin’s heart. “I’m sorry too,” he repeated the necessary words. He meant it. He didn’t want to lose his best friend over this meaningless farce.

Seijuro called from the hallway, “Ready to go, boys?” The two partners exchanged content looks before joining him. It was one step towards fixing their broken relationship. Rin began to wonder what would’ve happened if he knew of his partner’s feelings sooner, and if he would’ve quit the force for him. Knowing he’d take a bullet for his best friend, he figured he would.

How different things would be now if that was the path he followed. Shaking the thought from his mind, they continued down the hallway. He made his choice. Whatever the outcome, he had to deal with the consequences. No one made him feel like he did when he was around Haru. No amount of sorrow or heartbreak could persuade his thoughts toward regret. In his own way, he was overjoyed with his choice, and happy to know Sousuke was slowly wrapping his mind around it.

But the constant, nagging feeling eating at Rin’s stomach had been persistent since his plunge into the ocean a few nights ago. It was so subtle at times, the red head didn’t notice. But as the hours drew on, it became more prominent. Something was coming. Rin had to trust he was ready for it when it did.

 

* * *

 

“Oi! Rin! Sousuke!” Makoto waved a hand signaling his position. The sun set a little over an hour ago, and the parking lot to the aquarium was empty but a few stray cars. Strategically placed lamp posts lit the area well enough, dousing the dark ground with a little light.

The three men crossed the pavement to meet up with Makoto. He was waiting by the side of the building. Seijuro informed Rin that they would have access to a different doorway, one that led straight to the largest tank Goro owned. Due to their frequent schedule changes and large crowds, Rin felt that this was a good choice. He had the chance to go over the department’s plan earlier. It put his stomach more at ease knowing someone would have an eye on Haru at all times during the exposure.

“Makoto!” Rin called back, waving is own hand in the air. His stomach was tying itself in knots. He couldn’t make out the feelings flowing through his body, and whether or not they existed to make his life hell, or to better it.

The green-eyed man rapped his knuckle against the windowless metal door. Someone opened it from the inside. Propping the door open from the outside, he allowed the three officers to enter before him. Rin hesitated; thanking him after making sure Makoto was following them inside. They entered into the back section of the building where a lot of the filtration systems with large pipes were housed. It wasn’t well lit making it difficult to see, and the noise volume was tremendous.

“Just stick to the path!” Goro called from ahead, barely audible to the men taking the rear.

Rin took in a deep breath attempting to settle the feelings growing inside. The air here was thick and difficult to inhale. Half choking, his stomach dropped when a hand grabbed his wrist. Stopping in his tracks, the read head looked back at Makoto. His eyebrows creased his forehead. Something had him on edge too. Was it the same thing?

“Rin…” he began, his voice so low and with the surrounding booming of the machines at work Rin struggled to hear him. He stepped closer, putting his ear more toward his mouth. “Be careful. Haru is a different person in the water.”

The cop took a step back eyeing his friend with more questions. After realizing Rin’s look was concerning, he shook his head with a small smile hoping to lighten the mood. Lifting his chin, he ushered them forward. Stubbornly, Rin agreed. The narrow hallway wasn’t overly long and ended with another metal door, this time with a handle. They stepped through into another non-public area of the aquarium. A tall, rusted metal stairway lead the way up to their right and the hallway continued forward to another door. Goro had stopped at the crossroads, waiting for everyone to catch up. Kisumi was there as well, obviously waiting for the group.

Once everyone had congregated at the intersection, the lecture began. “All right then.” Kisumi was taking lead here. Rin guessed as head of security for the building, he would have a better idea of what went on in the background than Goro. “This is the only passage leading to the back end of this tank. There is a separate area where divers enter the water, but it should be blocked off and secured so you shouldn’t have to worry about it. Feedings and tank cleanings are scheduled for third shift so no visitor can access that drop point. This door, like most of the doors around the building, has a special keycard to unlock it.” He lifted his own arm showing off the coiled band that attached the plastic card to his arm just above the elbow. “We will be issuing each of your men one. It goes without saying that they shouldn’t lose this card. In the event of an emergency, all security personnel will have their own radio wave. As long as the message gets to one of the security officers, they will be able to call for backup. In the event of every security personnel being incapacitated, other employees are trained to call the police immediately, via phone or by pulling the fire alarm. Any questions?”

Rin shoved his hands into his pockets thankful he already received the game plan from Seijuro. Sousuke was in the same boat. They planned it so each shift change was at a randomly decided time, and varied from day to day. They had the opportunity to see who would be working each shift, something Seijuro decided to withhold from Sasabe. Rin knew the men assigned would be perfect for the job. But that feeling…

“Okay then. Haru arrived early so I already gave him the rundown. He’s waiting for us up there.” Kisumi shifted his gaze up the stairs. Seijuro was the first to advance, followed quickly by Rin. This wasn’t going to pan out like he hoped. In his mind he imagined a nice, one on one goodbye with the merman. Instead, as reality went, the harshness of saying goodbye in a room full of people slapped him stiff against the face. He would take any moment like the one this morning. Especially knowing a whole week would go by without feeling his body against his own, their lips brushing against each other. It was driving him crazy and it wasn’t even day one yet.

The stairs were creaky but sturdy, even with a whole slew of people bounding up the structure at once. Another metal door greeted them. Seijuro swiped a keycard he already received and pushed inward. It revealed another dark room. The floor slowly banked down until it reached a large hole in the center. Upon closer look, it was a small wade pool that didn’t have a bottom. A tube extended down that lead into the main tank. A semicircle glass bubble made entirely of glass extended across the back half of the room. Half of the space was pushed into the water giving anyone inside the room an underwater view from above, and a clear view of some of the structures that stuck out of the water. A switchbox that operated the automatic door to the opening on the floor sat on the wall near the entrance. Currently, it was open. And as Kisumi said, Haru was crouched down, shoeless, inside the bubbled area staring at the fish swimming below.

When the door was shoved open, his attention was drawn to it. Rin met his eyes immediately. And instantly, he realized something was wrong. Haru slowly rose to his feet, the shadow of a smile completely gone. That feeling grew stronger, tightening Rin’s stomach to the point of him almost doubling over.

“Nanase,” Seijuro acknowledged him with a small head bow. Haru repeated the movement, keeping his lips tight. His eyes, however, shifted to Sousuke as he entered the room. Rin watched it happen in slow motion. His partner’s teal eyes sized him up from head to foot, a near threatening frown settling on his face.

Rin glanced back at Haru. Whatever uneasiness he was feeling was consuming him. No amount of anger or displeasure passed across his face. He didn’t even give Sousuke a second glance as his eyes fell over the next few people to enter the room. During the interrogation, he couldn’t stop poking at him, attempting to crawl under his skin. To suddenly change so drastically, something had to be very unsettling for him.

“I appreciate your help on this matter. I know this is a slightly more direct approach I wouldn’t normally choose, but when push comes to shove there is only so much you can do.” Seijuro disliked blackmailers about as much as he hated The Fine Diner. Repeat customers on their radar burn at his soul. He couldn’t fathom a reason why anyone would need to commit a crime more than once, and serial killers and blackmailers were on the top of the list. They never stopped at one.

“Feeling okay there, Haruka? You’re looking a little pale.” Goro chuckled, half expecting his old student to disagree.

“I’m fine,” he managed to say before turning back to the water-filled hole in the ground.

“This is a brave thing you’re doing,” Seijuro said, trying to cheer him up. He too noticed the strange behavior coming from the merman.

“This transformation is a little… _personal_ ,” Makoto choked from the back of the group. “Maybe we should give him some space?”

Something caught in Rin’s throat as Haru immediately started pulling off his shirt. He guessed he didn’t want the space. Discarding the clothing to the side, he glanced back at Rin. Those eyes of his were swimming in desperate need to tell him something. He stepped forward with a hand outstretched just as Haru took the plunge. His pants quickly floated to the top of the water. Rin went to fetch them.

“Idiot,” he found himself hissing under his breath, tossing the soaking pants to the dry area of the concrete. He maneuvered around the water-filled hole in the floor to see if he could get a better look at Haru through the glass portion of the room.

_BOOM_.

Rin stumbled back completely caught off guard. Haru had hit the glass with the most mischievous smile on his face in full attempt to scare him. He succeeded perfectly, to the point where Rin lost his footing with the absence of a floor behind him. The red head had almost hit the water when two strong hands caught him, saving him from the unexpected plunge.

“Jesus Christ, Haru!” he snapped. The two hands supporting him were of his lovers. Just how strong was he? Sousuke was inches from him with one arm outstretched. Somehow Haru had reached him first.

Sousuke straightened up, running a hand across the back of his neck. “How childish,” he hissed.

Rin tilted his head back to look at his partner. He was obviously worried about Rin, yet angered by Haru’s quicker save. Just as he opened his mouth to say something to him, the red head dropped a few inches, now being supported by a single hand and shoulder. He felt Haru’s free hand drifting places it shouldn’t.

“Watch it!” he complained, his face turning bright red. He couldn’t look at the people observing the events unfolding. Maybe this was what Makoto was talking about when he mentioned Haru was different in the water? Thankfully, this wasn’t the first time he’d experienced it. Even though it was unexpected, it wasn’t completely uncalled for.

The merman’s hand stopped on his ass, concentrating on something in one of his pockets. When Rin felt his phone slip past the opening of his uniform, he realized what Haru’s intention was. He watched his lover hand Sousuke his phone before wrapping his arm around Rin’s torso.

“Haru,” Rin warned, his voice going low. “Don’t you– ”

Water completely engulfed him. The last thing he saw was Sousuke reaching a hand out to grab him. He was too slow. If Haru were on land, his partner would’ve had him. That’s how he arrested the merman in the first place. But in the water Haru was incredibly fast. Even he could tell being pulled deeper into the tank. The salt water burned at his eyes but Rin forced them open. Haru had released his grip and was somewhat dancing around him. It was a mess of bluish green mixed with black. Every once in a while, he could feel Haru’s fins brush against him, but he mostly swam quickly around him, close enough to be touched if Rin just held out his fingers.

When Rin decided he couldn’t hold his breath any longer, he started kicking his legs for air. He felt Haru pushing from behind. At least he wasn’t attempting to drown him. When he broke the surface, Rin instantly took in a large gulp of air. Disappointed he couldn’t hold his breath longer; he treaded water to stay afloat. He wiped the salty water from his eyes to scan the tank for the merman. His gaze caught another body rising for air.

Sousuke broke through he water with a look mixed of surprise and anger.

“Sousuke?” Rin confirmed, unsure why he was in the water too. “Why did you jump in?”

“Why did I– ” he stopped, biting his tongue. It took him some time before he continued. “I thought he was going to drown you.”

“Drown me?” Rin choked as he felt Haru’s touch under the water again. He prayed no one could see them right now. The saltwater was slightly transparent, but if someone were in the glass semicircle or anywhere in the exhibit hall below, it would be a fairly obvious sight. His face began to burn crimson as he felt Haru’s fingertips brush the skin above his belt, circling around his hips. Rin had to keep the conversation going or Sousuke would get suspicious. “Don’t be serious.”

Sousuke shifted his gaze across the tank taking in the sight of it all. Civilians weren’t allowed inside the glass walls, only qualified personnel. It was a view not a lot of people got the chance to see. He was only doing it to avoid speaking his reasoning, Rin knew. But at least he wasn’t watching Rin’s face turn even redder.

Haru’s hands were getting greedy, slipping past his pant line. His lips brushed against the small of Rin’s back. They felt warm in the cool water. When he felt teeth, Rin took in a sharp breath of air. It caught Sousuke’s attention.

“Is everything okay?”

Rin bit his tongue, struggling to keep his head above the surface. He could feel Haru slipping his arms around his legs. He was forced out of the water until the merman’s head was in full view. The policeman was sitting on his shoulders like a small child would with his parent. Sousuke’s look was priceless. Pure shock encompassed with jealousy Rin figured.

Haru must’ve been giving him another ill-tempered look because his partner’s face dropped again. Rin couldn’t help but chuckle. He was unfazed by Sousuke’s stern looks. A lot of criminals broke down under his icy glare, but Haru seemed impervious.

Just when Rin thought it was going to be a staring contest, Haru spit a mouthful of water in his face. He lost it, falling back in the water with a wholehearted laugh. Sousuke wiped the moisture off and turned his head to the side murmuring whatever.

“I must ask you to please exit the water,” a booming voice sounded through the surrounding PA system gathering everyone’s attention. “You’re ruining the very delicate pH balance!”

The drop area for divers Kisumi was describing earlier finally came into view. A large metal lift with a meshed bottom was being mechanically hoisted to the top of the tank like an elevator. Seijuro, Makoto, Kisumi, and Goro occupied it. The top of the glass was only a few feet higher than the water line, a perfect place for divers to jump in. Sousuke began to swim toward it, banking on Rin following him.

Haru’s head from the bridge of his nose and up appeared beside Rin. They exchanged looks, knowing this was it. It was time to say goodbye, if only for a little while. The red head’s face sunk, unsure of what to say or do. He attempted to flash a smile at Haru before quickly turning to the lift. Tears were welling in his eyes, and he didn’t want to cry in front of the merman again. Unable to deny the simple fact of him being somewhat of a crybaby, he certainly didn’t want to prove his point any further. Just as he began to front crawl his way after Sousuke, a hand grabbed his ankle pulling him back under the water.

In shock, he accidentally breathed all of the air out of his lungs creating massive bubbles that lazily floated to the surface. Rin was sure it looked bad from above the water, but he wasn’t sensing anything malicious from him. Haru manhandled him into his arms before taking off at speeds Rin never experienced while swimming. Before he knew it, they had broken the surface of the water once more. Peeling his eyes open, Rin recognized the semicircle glass wall. They were back inside the small room where they entered the tank. With everyone on the lift, they were left alone. Rin was lying supine on the cold floor. Haru was taking up a lot of his vision, hovering over him, their faces inches apart.

He couldn’t tear his eyes away from Haru’s glistening blue stare. He tried to read his thoughts through them knowing he was trying to say something. Before he could even comprehend a word, their lips were pushed together. The merman was wasting no time. Ripping Rin’s uniform open causing buttons to fly everywhere, he skated his fingers all across his chest until the found a home on his nipples. His tongue forced its way into Rin’s mouth. His fishtail slid between the red head’s legs, delicately sliding back over his crotch. Rin was being consumed again, his mind growing blank. He loved every ounce of this havoc Haru was inflicting. He wanted more. No, he _needed_ more.

The small sound of a door opening and closing entered his brain causing a misfire. When Haru’s body disappeared altogether, Rin propped himself up on his elbows. Someone was flying up the metal stairs. They had seconds. The merman had retreated back to the water, half of his body still above the surface. His head was downcast but he hesitated. Was it guilt?

“Haru…” Rin started, sitting up. He reached a hand to his cheek, caressing his soft skin, coaxing him to lift his gaze. When their eyes met, Rin could see the remorse. Concern caused his eyebrows to purse. It wasn’t until then he noticed the strange wound on his shoulder. To examine it closer, Rin’s hand shifted toward it.

Haru pushed back, quickly retreating into the water. The door behind Rin was forced open, Sousuke stumbling into the room. He was out of breath when Rin turned around, but froze when he noticed how pale his red headed partner had gotten.

“This was a mistake,” Rin choked, his airway constricting as tears welled in his eyes. Even though he didn’t get a good look at the wound, only one thing could’ve caused it. Haru’s look of regret, his swimming eyes, it only led to one conclusion. Someone had playfully bit him on the shoulder. And that someone wasn’t Rin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As previously warned, CLIFFHANGER. Kind of. ;.;
> 
>  
> 
> Have a safe and wonderful weekend! Thanks for reading. :)


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Felt the need to post this one day early! Next chapter coming your way in another 3-4 days. That also being said, I'm going to be posting twice a week again regardless of the length of time it takes me to finish this. I don't think you'll be waiting too long (if at all) towards the end, but that might just be hopeful me talking here!
> 
> Have a wonderful week, everyone! Thanks for reading!! Seriously, all of you rock.

Rin couldn’t fathom Haru messing around with someone else. It wasn’t something easily comprehendible. He knew Haru. He knew he was watching him from the shadows for three long years. How could he just turn around and cheat on him blatantly? _And then_ to come back to Rin after that?

Inexplicable.

Rin tossed and turned in his bed all night, unsure how to take the recent discovery. He had looked at his phone multiple times, typed up a few irate messages, but never sent anything. He felt this was something that needed to be dealt with in person. Unsure of how to even bring that up in casual conversation was his first issue, but even having the time to have a personal one on one with him was another. Sousuke was furious after what happened in the tank the day before, and wasn’t about to let Rin go back alone. Especially after seeing the heartbreak on Rin’s face.

Currently, Rin was sitting in his desk chair, tediously tapping his pencil against the wood. His screen had gone black with inactivity, along with his brain when it came to police work. If it weren’t for his desk being in the far corner, everyone would notice his mindlessness. Thankfully only Sousuke managed to see, and even he couldn’t bring up the words that needed to be said. Rin tried to explain to him last night exactly what happened. Due to the loss of words, Sousuke suspected the worst. Rin wasn’t quite sure what that was, and he really wasn’t sure if he wanted to.

He debated going back to see him, uncertain if it would be wise. It was fairly obvious to Rin what happened. If Haru had a reasonable excuse, he was afraid he might believe it. The last thing he wanted was to be drawn in again by those eyes. Those lips. His soft skin. His silky hair. The feeling of his dick slowly sliding into his ass. Rin dropped his head against his desk causing a few concerned looks. Ai called out his name.

“ _Get out of my head_ ,” he whispered to himself, accidentally squeezing his pencil to the point of snapping it in half. Tears threatened to overflow. Rin lost count how many times the thought of Haru had caused him to cry over the course of the night. He was succumbing to him even now, like he was trying to fight a battle he knew he was going to lose. Could he even regret what had transpired already? Could he forget it and move on? The thoughts began to scare him. He knew he wasn’t the same person after finally appearing in Haru’s life, but he wasn’t sure if he was ready to leave him.

“Rin?” Sousuke’s hand brushed his shoulder.

The red head shuddered, peeling his head off of his wooden desk. He looked dejectedly at Sousuke. His partner tried to smile for him, but his worry seemed to destroy even that.

“Maybe you should take the rest of the day off?”

Rin laid his head back on his desk with a huff. He couldn’t argue. The lack of sleep and the emotional baggage was taking its toll. At the very least he needed a nap.

“If Seijuro found out how unproductive you are, he might fire you,” Sousuke threatened. It wasn’t meant to be mean, only straightforward. His partner was right. This wasn’t good. Rin doubted Seijuro would go as far as to let Rin go, but he would be on a tight leash for sure. At that moment, everything seemed settled. Pushing himself away from his desk, he strolled to the break room to take a breather. Buying a soda, something Sousuke normally drank, Rin plopped on the sole couch in the room. He couldn’t crack the seal. His eyelids were heavy from the crying that left them partially swollen. When he left for work, he could visibly see the dark circles under his eyes. Sighing, he closed them begging for some relief.

But all that greeted him was Haru. His fingers tightened around the chilled can. He would have to confront him after work. This wasn’t healthy. He needed answers, and sitting here thinking about the possibilities was only causing his heart to shatter into smaller pieces. Leaning back against the cushions, Rin put an arm over his eyes shutting out the light completely. Bringing Sousuke would make matters worse. Momo or Ai would be a better option to take along this time knowing his partner wouldn’t allow a visit to go unaccompanied. Deciding Momo would most likely give them more alone time due to his frequent outbursts and running around, Rin hoped he would give enough of a distraction to get what he needed from Haru.

 

* * *

 

“This is so cool!” Momo exclaimed prancing around the darkened parking lot. His arms were held out like wings as he darted around Rin. “I’ve never been to a place after hours before!”

Rin sighed, a small smile appearing on his lips. Momo’s upbeat attitude toward everything was a refreshing change from Haru’s frequent lack of emotion and Sousuke’s recent sour mood. Still surprised he talked his partner into allowing Momo to attend instead of him, Rin ushered his underling forward. He would be a handful until he wasn’t. At that point he would be the perfect distraction for Rin to slip upstairs. If Sousuke found out he talked to Haru alone things would get awkward again. And Momo had a nasty habit of over sharing. But if he didn’t notice his absence, everything could go overlooked.

“This way.” Rin gestured at the side entrance he went through yesterday. Goro gifted Seijuro and him keycards to the building. Even knowing they were coming, Rin doubted knocking on the door would do any good with the loud background noise just inside the door. He dug for the plastic card, finding it in his front pocket. With a swipe and an overly loud click, the red head had the door ajar. Momo swarmed in taking in the sight of the first room. Rin had to pull him out of the restricted area as he attempted to climb through the pipes to get a better view of the loud machines. Giving up, he put his friend in a headlock and pushed him through the next doorway. Once the metal door slammed closed, an overpowering silence surrounded them. It set Rin into a state of unease.

The red head let Momo go, half tempted to walk up the stairs to see if Haru was waiting for him, but the chances of that were slim. He knew he would have to step foot into the aquarium first so Haru could physically see that he was there.

“What’s up there?” Momo asked. His voice pulled Rin out of the trance he put himself in as he realized he was staring at the door at the top of the stairs.

“Nothing,” he mumbled, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck trying to alleviate some of the tension settling in his muscles. “This way.”

“Woohoo!” Momo cried once Rin had the next door opened. They stepped foot into the large exhibit hall, instantly being doused in a bluish light. Momo ran straight to the tank’s wall, putting his hands on the glass to get a better look at the fish swimming inside of their enclosure. Rin’s red eyes scanned the surrounding water, but there was no sight of the merman.

“Rin?” an unsteady voice greeted him. The officer rotated to see Goro’s pale face and offset composure. That unsteady feeling settled at the bottom of his stomach.

“Thank goodness you’re here. I was just about to call Seijuro.” By this time Momo had returned to Rin’s side, taking an interest on Goro’s strange poise.

“What’s wrong,” Rin asked. His own voice shook as he imagined the worst.

“It’s Haru.”

The world started sliding out from under his feet. Goro’s voice seemed to slow, deepening in pitch. Rin’s chest constricted waiting for him to continue. His words were taking too long to reach his ears.

What could’ve happened? It was only the first day. Did their blackmailer contact them? Or was this something The Fine Diner had done? And why should he be so concerned to his wellbeing when he cheated on him? There was no denying it; his heart still belonged to Haru. It pained him to come to terms with the simple fact. It wasn’t fair. Rin didn’t want to love someone that didn’t love him back wholeheartedly. This wasn’t how his first serious relationship was supposed to go.

“He’s sort of…broke out. We can’t find him.”

Rin deflated with relief. Of course Haru had to run away. Why else would he send everyone into a panic if not for some selfish reason? There wasn’t anything to worry about. Haru was still Haru, and Rin began to resent it.

“Kisumi is looking at the security footage now to see which door he left through. As I’m sure you know, our security detail decreases to one man during our off hours.”

“Momo,” Rin barked. His friend stiffened next to him throwing an arm up to salute his superior. “Start looking. We’ll cover more ground if we split up.”

“Yes, sir!” And with that, he was gone. Nothing excited him more than a mystery to solve. Rin chalked it up to his love for hunting stag beetles, but shrugged it off regardless of how strange Mikoshiba’s little brother was. He did great police work, especially when it came to finding missing persons.

“Don’t worry about calling Seijuro. We can find him for you,” Rin said, more hopeful than he felt. If he exited the building, things would get a lot more difficult. They would have a whole city to pick through rather than just one limited space. Even with his hopes slightly dashed, Rin felt he knew Haruka enough to be able to locate him. However, his motives for leaving chewed at the back of his mind.

Kisumi’s pink hair came around the corner. He smiled when he noticed Rin, but his eyebrows were knotted. “Hello, Rin,” he greeted before turning to Goro. “I can’t seem to locate any footage of Haru physically leaving the building. I can put the system on lockdown if you want. I honestly think he’s somewhere inside these walls.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary.” Rin began taking charge. “Keep an eye on the feeds. Between the three of us, I think we can find him.” He paused, a thought popping into his head. “Did anything happen today that would’ve cause this? It’s not usually like him to run away without purpose.”

Goro answered, “Nothing. It was a very busy day. Our advertising pulled a lot more people in. He swam around great for us, even stayed a good distance away from the glass so people couldn’t get a very good look at his face. Unless you saw anything?”

Kisumi shook his head disappointedly. “Not a thing.”

Rin clicked his tongue. “I guess we should begin looking then. I’m going to start at the entrance to the tank,” he signaled toward the door they entered through, “to look for a trail.”

“Good idea,” Goro agreed. I’ll take the lobby area.

“I’ll radio you if I find anything,” Kisumi added, handing Rin a walkie-talkie. The red head hooked it to the opening of his pant’s pocket. With that, the three men disbursed.

Rin swiped his card through the exchange and opened the metal door back to the small area. Banking left, he began trekking up the stairs looking for wet areas and strange tracks. He didn’t feel it necessary to explain how his transformation worked to Goro and Kisumi. They should know what kind of state it put him in. Rin doubted Haru could leave the building quickly when he could hardly walk back to his own house a few nights ago. Swiping his card again, he entered the small half concrete, half glass room. There he could see the wet trail Haru left exiting the water. He certainly wasn’t in the tank anymore. Squatting to get a closer look, Rin slid his finger along the edge of the water. Part of the puddle was drying, signaling he left some time ago. It was hard to get a specific time, but he knew it wasn’t in the last few minutes.

Sighing, he got back to his feet, stretching to get the blood flowing. He exited the room and went back down the stairs before stopping at the fork. If Haru were attempting an escape without notice, it would be obvious to go left through the thunderous hallway. A bright red EXIT sign hung above the door. Conversely, it should’ve been rather apparent to see him leave the building because of the camera stationed on that door. Not doubting Kisumi’s work, Rin figured Haru never made it out of the hallway. He passed the threshold back into the earsplitting mechanical area. Using his phone as a flashlight, he scanned the room past the restricted sign looking for any abnormalities. It was impossible to tell with all of the piping.

Glancing back at the door unsure if this was a good idea, Rin stepped over the small guardrail and began maneuvering around the makings of the filtration systems. His gut feeling driving him forward, the officer carefully stepped over and around the gigantic pipes. Sweat began to appear at his brow, feeling the heat seeping off of the conduits. It would be an excellent place to hide. But why would Haru feel the need?

The twinge of anger from earlier grew. Even after yesterday, Rin was going out of his way to find the cheating bastard. He could kick himself. This was backwards. Haru should be trying to obtain Rin. He scanned his light across the remainder of the room, his search still coming back negative. The heat was stifling. Haru didn’t even like the high temperatures, why would he be drawn to this place?

Almost giving up his search, Rin decided to step past one more pipe. His gut wasn’t quite ready to leave and search another area. It was Rin’s best bet. Either he was somewhere in this mess or he did manage to get out of the building.

As if by some miracle, Rin found him. Dread welled inside his stomach replacing the anger and uneasiness from before. He was slumped up against the pipe Rin had just stepped over, easily out of sight from any passing eyes. But his face was contorted and whitewashed, like he was in a lot of pain. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, and he didn’t look like he had the energy to open his eyes.

Rin shoved his phone back into his pocket, tripping over his own feet in a rush to reach him. Landing too hard on his knees, he shook Haru’s shoulders. His half lidded, dull eyes met Rin’s. A small smile appeared on his lips before it quickly faded to a thin white line.

“What the hell were you thinking,” Rin criticized hardly hearing his own words through the loud humming of the machines. Putting a finger to his neck to read his pulse, it was just as elevated as he thought. His skin was tacky from his sweat. _Not good_. “I’m going to get help!” he yelled hoping Haru could hear him. He stood to go as Haru’s icy grip caught his arm. He struggled to say something, but Rin couldn’t hear him.

Lowering his body back to Haru’s level, he put an ear next to his mouth.

“Don’t…” Haru breathed. It pained Rin to know how difficult it was for him to even talk. This wasn’t from his transformation, something was seriously wrong. He needed medical help immediately. Time was ticking fast, and there was no telling how long he had been lying there alone.

“You need a doctor,” Rin protested, motioning to pick him up.

A strong grip found it’s way around the front of Rin’s shirt, pulling him back to Haru’s face. His raspy voice somehow reached his ears. “Don’t. It’s not safe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The real reason for the early post? BECAUSE OF THIS ENDING.  
> Not really. It's because of Momo. The world needs more of his originality.
> 
>  
> 
> But also maybe because of the ending. >:)


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning!! This involves an overdose. Please, please proceed with caution!
> 
>  
> 
> Next chapter is here! Enjoy and please excuse any mistakes!  
> Also have a wonderful weekend!

“Sorry, I couldn’t find him either,” Rin lied. “He must’ve somehow slipped past the cameras.” Three of the four men had collectively gathered in the lobby of the aquarium after an hour-long search. The tired looks on the search party’s faces mimicked exactly what all three of them were feeling. Kisumi shook his head, unsure what to make of the situation. Goro rubbed a hand through his hair.

“Where’s your friend?” the aquarium owner asked, taking a seat from the stress. He looked worn out and unsteady. It was late, but without the major attraction they took so much care marketing for outright missing, how could they open their doors?

“I asked him to do a sweep around the building, just in case he slipped into a dumpster or something,” Rin lied again. He couldn’t believe how easy it was for the false words to slide past his lips. Because of his warning, he didn’t feel like sharing the truth of Haru’s location would be wise, at least not until Haru could fill him in on the details leading up to his escape. Truthfully, Rin had quickly found Momo and ordered him to take Haru back to the patrol car when told. Once the red head knew Kisumi was away from the camera feed, he texted his wily underling to go and to move quickly.

“I was looking at my feeds and there is a small timeframe on one of the back door cameras where Haru could’ve slipped past unseen. No normal person could’ve known that information. Either he is incredibly lucky, or had been informed by someone else who knows the system,” Kisumi concurred. “Why would he run? When he surfaced after we closed, I asked him if anyone had attempted to contact him. He said there was nothing.”

“Maybe there was something,” Goro noted. “Maybe he’s being threatened and can’t tell us?”

“Maybe you watch too much TV,” Kisumi sighed. “But I guess it’s possible.”

Glancing at his watch, Rin’s stomach tightened. It was late and Haru still needed a hospital. He didn’t account for the amount of time this meeting would take. “It’s getting pretty late. You two should get home. I’ll call Seijuro and we can continue our search in the city. Haru couldn’t have gotten too far.”

“I appreciate your help, Rin. I don’t know what I could’ve done without you.” Goro was back on his feet with a hand outstretched. He took it gladly. “Good luck with your search. Keep me updated.”

“I will.”

“Part of this was my own fault for not keeping a closer eye on him,” Kisumi began, “I think I’ll search too.”

Rin panicked. This wasn’t going according to his plan. He was supposed to meet Momo in the car and they were going to go straight to the hospital. This was already consuming enough time on it’s own, but having someone hovering over his shoulder for a little while longer could potentially cost Haru his life.

“That’s not necessary,” Rin stammered, attempting to mask the anxiety filling his core. He didn’t have an excuse other than the serial cannibal to cover his tracks. If Kisumi insisted repeatedly, he would have no choice but to let him. “With The Fine Diner lurking around, it’s not safe for civilians to be wandering about. Especially at night.”

The pink haired man pondered the thought. Waiting for a response, Rin’s phone began to ring. He debated picking it up, almost afraid of who would be calling. When he got a strange look from Goro, he felt he needed to. He pulled his phone out of his pocket. Momo’s name was on the screen. _What did he do_ , was his first thought before worry ate at his conscious.

“I have to take this,” he said a little too quickly. “Go home and get some rest. We’ll handle it from here.” Without waiting for a reply, he took off in the direction of the door answering the call in the process.

 _“Rin?”_ Momo’s frightened voice entered his ear.

“What is it?” he answered, pushing open the door to the aquarium. The cold nightly air burned his lungs.

_“He vomited on my lap. Please come and save me!”_

“Did it get on the seats?” the officer snarled. If Sousuke found out about someone puking in the backseat of his patrol car, he would lose it.

 _“No,”_ Momo was in tears.

“Don’t move. I’m almost there.” He ended the call abruptly. This was definitely no ordinary transformation issue. Unsure of the cause to Haru’s declining health, Rin quickened his pace. Reaching the car, he wrenched open the door. The wave of vomit hit his nose nauseating him immediately.

“What the hell?” he asked, covering the lower half of his face with his shirt. That wasn’t normal vomit smell. The interior light from the car had turned on with the open door. Rin glanced at the backseat. Haru’s head was in Momo’s lap. He looked unconscious, but his breathing was still labored. The vomit covered his underling’s lap. It looked like what he ate for dinner, which was most likely mackerel, with a pinkish hue.

“Is that _blood_?” The question was out of his mouth as he grasped how urgent it was to get him to a doctor.

“He told me not to take him to the hospital,” Momo choked, tears were streaming down his face. “He said it wasn’t safe.”

“For fucks sake,” Rin spat, pulling his phone out of his pocket. Thankful he added Seijuro’s number to the top of his favorite’s list, his finger tapped his name. He started the car, cracked the windows for some ventilation, and prayed the Chief answered his phone. Throwing the car into gear, he was out of the parking lot in seconds.

“Pick up, pick up,” he begged as a nonchalant ring echoed in the background. “Please just answer the damn phone.”

 _“It’s late,”_ Seijuro groaned.

“Seijuro. Thank god. I think Haru’s been drugged or poisoned. I can’t take him to the hospital. I think someone’s still after him,” Rin’s words slurred from the turmoil. It was hard to process thoughts with his brain malfunctioning.

 _“Calm down.”_ The Chief’s words were stern. _“Breath, Rin. It’s going to be okay.”_

“I don’t need to calm down!” Rin yelled, instantly catching himself. “Sorry.”

_“Take him straight here. If someone is still after him, he might try and follow you. They might figure you’re going back to your place, so just be aware of your surroundings.”_

“Yes, sir,” Rin said, nervously glancing in his rearview mirror. Nothing greeted him but the passing streetlamps.

_“Is Momo still with you?”_

“Yes.”

_“Have him help. And be careful.”_

Rin set the phone on the passenger’s seat. “Keep an eye out for any excess baggage,” he told the sobbing red head.

“Okay,” Momo mumbled, twisting carefully in his seat to look out the back window.

With the possibility of someone tailing them, Rin would have to take strange routes and back roads to Seijuro’s house. Inevitably it would take up more of Haru’s precious time. Remaining calm was his number one priority. If someone tried to harm Haru, and only succeeded partially, the chances of them attempting a second pass was likely. It would explain his motives to escape. But who would’ve done this? And why did he keep repeating it wasn’t safe?

Rin’s mind wandered to the killer’s words upon discovery of her body two days ago. This very well could be his version of retaliating in an attempt to get his fingers on Rin. Hostage situations weren’t uncommon. If this was the truth, someone was close enough to know the situation of their relationship. Unbelievably, they had only been together four days. So much happened in that short time span, it felt like ages.

However, there was the issue of Haru’s blackmailer, who would’ve known about his secret due to the picture, which would make them more likely to know about his relationship with Rin. It was possible that the blackmailer had somehow gotten to him, possibly even the day before, and hung something else above his head in an attempt to have him do whatever they wanted.

The thought was sickening. Neither position was good. But something felt odd, like Rin was missing a large puzzle piece. If Haru managed to make it through this, his side of the story could accommodate that feeling. But Rin partially doubted it. He mulled over each situation separately, _what am I missing?_

“Anyone back there?” the red head asked, glancing in the rearview mirror again. Answers would come sooner or later. Haru’s life was still hanging in the balance.

“No,” came a saddened reply followed quickly by a gagging noise. “Are we there yet?”

“Don’t you dare throw up in this car, Momo,” Rin threatened, making the last turn as Seijuro’s house came into view. He put the car into park before shutting off the ignition. Exiting the vehicle, he pried the back door open getting a full view of exactly what happened before Momo called. The look alone almost made him vomit. And somehow his younger coworker was still hanging on.

“Be careful getting out,” Rin asked, maneuvering Haru’s body out of the vehicle. His blue eyes fluttered, half conscious. The cop tossed his limp body over his shoulder slamming the door shut with his foot. He could hear Momo exiting on the other side of the car.

Seijuro’s front door opened. “Did anyone follow you?” he asked, ushering them inside.

“No,” Rin began, feeling Haru’s body convulsing. There wasn’t time to reach the bathroom. Half dropping him to the pavement, Rin supported his upper body so he was off the ground as another vomiting spell overcame his dark haired friend.

“Jesus Christ,” Seijuro breathed running to his aid. He put a finger to Haru’s throat feeling his pulse. He pulled his finger back after a minute. “I think you might be right. Someone must’ve drugged or poisoned him.”

Rin attempted to pull Haru’s black hair out of his eyes. It tangled on top of his head from the sweat. “Let it out,” he found himself telling him, encouraging him to make it through this. “I don’t know what to do. He needs medical help, but he refuses treatment.”

“Sousuke is on his way. I’ve filled him in on the few details you’ve disclosed to me, so I’m sure he’s coming prepared.”

Rin almost forgot his partner completed some first aid medical training shortly after graduating. It served as a just in case someone needed it in the line of fire. His knowledge was vast in comparison to Rin’s. Subsequently, it would be their best bet since Haru rejected treatment at the hospital.

Once Haru had finally subsided his heaving, Seijuro scanned the surrounding area. “Let’s get him inside. We’re exposed out here.”

With the Chief’s help, they managed to haul the merman inside. Deciding it would be best to place him next to the toilet in case another nausea episode overcame him, they sat him on the cold bathroom floor. Rin positioned himself behind Haru in order to keep him upright, with the toilet directly to their left. It wasn’t too much longer when they heard the door open.

Sousuke had rounded the corner immediately, bags of IV fluids and a bottle of alcohol in his hands. Ai appeared behind him with even more draped in his arms. Rin could’ve cried he was so happy to see his partner. Due to the late night situation, dark rimmed glasses sat on the bridge of his nose. Setting the medical supplies on the countertop, he tied a stretchy band around Haru’s upper arm cutting off his blood flow. He then got to work with the alcohol bottle.

“I need you to hold his arm still, Rin.”

The red head nodded, knowing full well Sousuke was going to place a catheter into the merman’s vein to get Haru the fluids and electrolytes he needed. His body was thrown out of balance with whatever caused this sick spell, and this was the very first step in fixing it.

Sousuke popped the cap, dumping the cold liquid onto the interior elbow of the merman. Haru shifted uncomfortably due to the chilly solution. Using a cotton ball, he scrubbed the excess off, sterilizing the skin the best he could. Grabbing a line, he untangled the plastic mess before inserting it into the bag labeled NSS to flush the tube of air.

Rin read the letters. He understood they stood for: Normal Saline Solution. But when the words settled in his brain, his breath hitched. “ _Wait!_ ”

“What?” Seijuro interjected, almost lost in Sousuke’s graceful motions. His partner froze too, staring into Rin’s red eyes with a hurtful, quizzical look.

“That’s essentially salt water, right?” Sousuke looked at the bag of fluids in his hand before nodding, slowly catching Rin’s drift. “If we injected that into his veins, wouldn’t he change into a merman?” The thought of Haru going through more pain tugged at his gut. He didn’t want to see it, not in his current state.

“He needs it, Rin. It doesn’t matter what it’ll do. Do you want him to die?”

 _Die_. The word sucker punched him in the stomach, sucking all of the air out of his lungs. Biting his lower lip, he shook his head with his better judgment.

“Good, now keep his arm steady.” Sousuke broke the sterile seal on the catheter tip, slowly sliding the needle into Haru’s arm. The merman didn’t even flinch. Once Rin’s partner saw the flash of blood, he pulled the needle out of the catheter, attaching the fluid line to the opening. Rolling the clamp to unleash the fluids, he handed Seijuro the bag. “Start squeezing and don’t stop until it’s almost gone. Rin, make sure this doesn’t come out of his arm.”

Their Chief complied, taking the bag from Sousuke’s steady hand as Rin secured his thumb over the external portion of the catheter. He held his breath unsure if something would happen, but after a few seconds and no scales, Rin let the air escape his lungs. Sousuke went to examine Haru. First, taking his pulse, then checking how dilated his pupils were. Lifting his lip, Sousuke checked his mucus membrane for dark spotting and color. He did a few other quick checks before taking the bag back from their boss.

“It’s hard to say exactly what caused this without testing his blood, but I’m putting my money on him being drugged.”

“Momo’s still covered in his vomit. It looked like there might have been some blood in it. Wouldn’t that indicate something more potent?” Rin asked, remembering the sight in the car.

Momo’s cry could be heard from the other room. His head appeared over Sousuke’s shoulder. A clothespin was hooked over his nose distorting his voice. “I think it’s from something he ate.”

“Throw you clothes in the dumpster,” Seijuro complained, pinching his nostrils closed.

Sousuke turned around to look at the vomit. With a quick glance over, he concurred. “His symptoms fall in line of side effects from a drug overdose rather than poison. Once we get a few of these bags of fluids in, he should be good to go.”

Haru’s body convulsed again. Just when Rin thought he was on the mend, his stomach dropped. Pushing his head over the rim of the toilet, the merman vomited a third time. Not much came out this time signaling an empty stomach. He dry heaved a few more times until he body relaxed. Rin resituated the merman, Haru’s head falling perfectly in the crook of his neck. His body felt hot and sticky from the sweat, but he didn’t complain. That moment seemed to last forever. Even now, he hoped Haru had a believable excuse to the bite mark on his shoulder. This wasn’t something Rin ever wanted to part from.

Relaxing more, the red head rested his head against Haru’s, closing his eyes. The stress was unbearable, but knowing he would be okay was all he needed to hear. He didn’t want to think what could’ve happened if he didn’t escape, or even if Rin couldn’t find him. Tears welled in his eyes, mostly from relief. Currently, everyone was safe. And in that moment, the simple fact that it might never be like this again struck Rin. The tears overflowed, sliding down his cheeks into Haru’s dark hair.

Poison would mean someone attempted to end Haru’s life, but being drugged opened a few more doors. Whomever it was that drugged him would probably make another attempt. Whatever happened to Haru to make him terrified enough to flee, whatever blackmail they were holding above his head, Rin wondered how much they could really do to stop it from happening again. His grip tightened around his lover, unwilling to let him slip through his grasp. He felt utterly powerless, and began to ponder the thought that it was exactly what someone planned to occur.

Sousuke fiddled with the next bag, already running through the first bag of fluids. It was the silent promise of another long night. The room was quiet, the people occupying its space unsure of what to say. Too many questions hung in the air, and most of them could probably be answered with Haru’s increasing health. The chances of him becoming conscious before morning were slim. Rin doubted he could wait that long for his side of the story, but his eyes were heavy, and Haru’s body heat lulled him into a semi-responsive trance.

A thought pulled him back to the world surrounding him. With his body going rigid, and Sousuke and Seijuro noticing, all eyes fell on their red headed coworker. They didn’t have to ask knowing Rin would explain his reasoning. That puzzle piece he felt he was missing earlier was still chewing at his brain. But he possibly discovered a correctly fitting piece, and that thought turned his blood to ice.

“What if our killer, whether it’s The Fine Diner or not, and the individual blackmailing Haru are the same person?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Possibly a new development??!?! Any ideas floating around yet? I've been leaving hints like a bread trail.
> 
>  
> 
> ~  
> Side note: I apologize for my own "medical" word vomit there. While Sousuke is working on a human in this story, I've personally done a lot of work with animals. I know the medicine is incredibly similar. That being said, I do know the IV catheter placement is slightly different (due to the differing kinds of IV catheters) in humans VS animals. So, if there are any human medically trained professionals reading, SORRY. I know it's not 100% accurate (****cringing), maybe like 90-95%, but it is accurate for animals if you wanted to know! And maybe some of you learned something today! That would be pretty awesome. :)
> 
> Haru isn't exactly human so maybe it's cool??? Let's just go with that. XD
> 
> Extra side note: IF ANYONE WAS WONDERING, it is incredibly difficult to stick a pet with a needle, expect it to go into the vein, correctly place the catheter, tape it into place, all while the patient is trying to eat your face. :) Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk ramble edition. Hope to see you next chapter!


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter's here! And, on a good note, I think I can wrap this story up in 30 chapters.  
> My apologies for any mistakes. Please enjoy and I hope to see you later this week! :)

The door closed with a small click as it slid into place. Rin sighed, his hand hovering on the doorknob. Haru was resting in Momo’s bed. He never broke through his unconsciousness. The circumstances and reasons behind his escape would have to wait. After Sousuke fed him three bags of fluids, he decided it would be enough for now. They could always give him more at a later time. It was his version of saying they needed to be together as a group tonight. This was the first instance where someone managed to escape, that is, if Rin’s hunch was right.

He ambled down the hallway to the living room. His friends positioned themselves on various pieces of furniture. Everyone was exhausted, but nobody could close their eyes. Quietly waiting for their last member to join the group, they delayed conversation until Rin had himself situated on a chair with an easy view of the hallway he returned from.

Their Chief was the first to break the suspension. “Why in the world would you think this person is the same?” Seijuro asked, shattering the silence. He was only voicing what was weighing on everyone’s mind.

The red headed cop put his hands to his mouth, thinking back through his thought process. “It’s because of what the killer said.”

“Keep your families close, and your friends closer?” Sousuke repeated the words Rin had heard on his way into the morgue only a few days ago.

Rin nodded. “Those words exactly.”

“But why?” Ai asked, his small voice finding some volume in the tense atmosphere.

“Who’s to say?” Rin almost laughed. He didn’t find the situation comical, but police work was mostly guesswork. The reasoning driving his hunch was nothing more than a simple speculation. However, it felt like something was connecting it all: The Fine Diner, the killer, and Haru’s blackmailer.

His face hardened with grief. He breathed in to steady his nerves and exhaled to remove the remaining stress. “Maybe that message wasn’t for you. What if it was meant for me?”

Seijuro put a hand to his head closing his eyes tight. He was desperately trying to follow Rin’s train of thought. Normally they were on a good wavelength, but with the late hour and lack of sleep since the murder, brainpower was at a minimum ultimately processing at a slower rate.

“Everything started that night. I ran into Haru, you got the message, that woman died. Which could easily be accounted for Ai and myself splitting up, thus deviating the trail. The killer, who could be our Diner, could’ve reverted back to his original method of killing because he was angry Haru slipped through his fingers. That also being said, if Haru is a heavy target, he would easily track him, getting that picture from the department, and then could hold it over his head to get him to bend to his will. It all stupidly makes sense.”

“You’re scary sometimes,” Momo retorted, clutching the pillow that sat between his legs. Due to everyone’s complaining he slipped in the shower while Rin was putting Haru to bed. It was nice not to smell the mackerel vomit from the car ride over.

Seijuro got to his feet. Rin’s words had him pacing. A hand never left his chin as he broke down each part of Rin’s hunch in an attempt to find a flaw. After a few silent minutes with everyone watching him, he surrendered and fell back to the couch.

“This is all contingent on Haru’s side of the story, right?” he finally asked. “If he says something that doesn’t fit, we’re back to square one.”

“Right,” Rin agreed. Something inside of him knew whatever Haru had to say would only solidify his guess. It made too much sense. He was sure he was missing major details. Foremost, a suspect still eluded him. Even after voicing his deduction, the biggest question hung just out of reach. His stomach was still sickly entangling itself as he mulled his brain for even the slightest clue as to who The Fine Diner could be.

“So what happens next?” Sousuke asked, sliding his hands down his legs.

A loud noise could be heard in the distance causing all of the men in the room to tense simultaneously. Rin’s head went straight down the hallway where Haru was sleeping. Wasting no time, he was on his feet assuming the worst. He grabbed the pistol that sat in the waist of his pants hugging his back. Who in their right mind would want their hands on Haru so badly they would ambush a house full of cops on high alert?

The bedroom door swung open as Haru stumbled into the hall. He hit the opposing wall hard, immediately using it as a support. Once his eyes fell on Rin, a look of immeasurable relief spread across his whole face. His body began sliding towards the floor, unable to bear the weight any longer. Shoving the gun back into place, Rin grabbed him under his arm as the rest of his friends gathered into the opening of the hallway. The red head did a once over of Momo’s room to make sure there wasn’t an intruder. Convinced they were alone, he slowly walked Haru to the living room. Easing him into his chair, Rin settled on the ground next to him, unable to let go of his hand. Finally seated, the palpable anticipation refilled the room. All eyes were on the merman. His head was downcast, breathing shallow. He wasn’t close to his normal self yet, but at least he was alive.

“Haru,” Rin began, begging him for answers.

He glanced his way before eyeing everyone in the room. “Why are you here?”

“Rin saved your life,” Sousuke huffed. Shocked that Haru wasn’t appreciative for how much they had done for him, how much he had done for Haru’s sake, the cop frowned.

His blue eyes landed on Rin again. He tried to read the look on Haru’s face, but ultimately couldn’t. He would have to speak his mind this time. There were too many questions hanging in the air. There was too much at stake.

Quietly and without removing his stare from Rin’s red eyes, Haru spoke, “You should’ve left me.”

It was like a shot through the heart. Rin’s breath caught. He couldn’t find anything to say. He wasn’t expecting those words to pass Haru’s lips to the point where they left him feeling downright empty. Lower lip trembling, he broke their eye contact to stare at the floor.

Thankfully, Sousuke spoke for everyone. “You ungrateful bastard. You should be dead!”

“At least you wouldn’t be in danger!” Haru clutched the armrest of the chair. The sudden outburst made him visibly weak. Rin squeezed his hand, finding himself unable to help him. He felt useless and hurt and didn’t know how to fix the evident problem.

“You should’ve came to us right away,” Rin pleaded, Haru’s words echoing in his head like a broken record. With each go around, they worsened the tightness in his stomach. Even though Sousuke had relayed the same information earlier, he felt Haru needed to hear it from Rin. It was hard enough to admit it, yet he needed to say it. “You could’ve died.”

“It’s better than what’s coming.”

Haru’s voice was so quiet, Rin wasn’t entirely sure he heard him. It wasn’t until Seijuro was upon them that he realized it wasn’t something his brain created, but words that physically slipped past his lips. The blood drained from his face. What horrors occurred that made it seem like death was a more viable option than living? To feel the need to push the only people capable of helping him away?

The Chief put a heavy hand on the merman’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. Rin could tell he was a little shaken up by his comment too. “You’re safe now. You can tell us anything.”

Haru forcefully shrugged him off. Lifting his head, he took Seijuro’s golden stare head on. “I’ve already said too much.”

Rin’s eyes were torn as to whom he needed to watch at the given moment. Haru’s bold frown, or Seijuro’s shocked expression. It was a tossup. Haru’s stubbornness was causing an exceedingly blatant issue, but understandably so. Whatever happened to him earlier that day scared him. Frightened him enough not to say anything to the only people who could protect him.

“Did the blackmailer contact you?” Seijuro finally asked, rebounding from his earlier state of shock. He was turning this into a question round. If Haru could give them even the slightest of clues to help them form answers their queries, maybe they could get some points connected ultimately saving him.

Haru refused to speak, holding the Chief’s gaze. Rin watched carefully. His swimming eyes were begging to be understood.

“What is he holding over your head?” Rin’s question drew his line of sight. He could tell Haru’s answer by his body language. Surprisingly enough, his subtle ways of speaking were finally coming into the light. Unknown to Seijuro, Haru had been giving him a straight answer.

The look Haru gave Rin was devastating. Already having a good idea as to what it could be, the merman’s heartbreaking, apologetic even, look solidified it. Rin’s face grew ashen. Their relationship was the only thing he wanted to remain free from this case. Since the moment he met Haru, the moment he fell head over heels, he didn’t want him to be affected by it. Knowing it would put him into danger, he couldn’t help but fall deeper into that abyss called love. The ride down was heartening, enjoyable, and pleasurable beyond imagine. He felt he could conquer anything with Haru by his side.

But then Rin hit the bottom.

“Me.”

Seijuro looked between them. Ai jumped to his feet in protest. There must be another reason. There must be someone, anyone else to take the front of this. Momo couldn’t escape his seat and Sousuke’s face was just as pale as his partner’s.

Through it all, Seijuro must’ve realized how accurate Rin’s hunch was looking. He stepped back and resumed his pacing. Rin wanted to ask more questions, but he was too shaken with the gravity of the situation to open his mouth. Clutching Haru’s hand, he prayed this would end soon. It was imperative they solved this case. Haru’s life hung in the balance. And it was possible his life was too.

“Are we looking at one person for all of the crimes? Is the person blackmailing you the same person who killed that woman? And if so, is he our Diner?” Seijuro’s strong voice suddenly seemed miniscule. Pausing his habitual walking, he was staring down Haru again, begging him silently to speak.

Haru’s eyebrows creased. Glancing first at Rin before meeting Seijuro’s eyes once more, he spoke softly, “It’s hard to say.” Pausing to moisten his airway with a hard swallow, he continued carefully. “I don’t understand your investigation by the sheer lack of information. But I do know that I can’t stay here any longer.”

Struggling to his feet, Haru dropped Rin’s hand. Sweat instantly moistened his brow and his breathing became shallow.

“Relax, Haru,” Seijuro warned, holding his hands out toward him to signal he needed to sit back down. When the merman refused, Sousuke got to his feet. Ai and Momo interjected creating a panic inside the small room. In one swift motion, Sousuke pushed Haru back into the chair. Immediately, Haru attempted to get back up.

“Haru!” Rin implored, knowing Sousuke’s patience for him was already thin.

However, his warning came too late. Grabbing him by the shoulder, Rin’s partner landed his fist into his stomach knocking him unconscious in seconds. Haru slumped forward into Sousuke’s arms.

“Dumbass,” he huffed, throwing him over his shoulder.

“He’s going to feel that tomorrow,” Momo spoke from experience.

“Careful,” Rin pleaded. Already on his feet, he was torn between the necessity of his partner’s aggressive way of work and the need for Haru to rest.

Sousuke regarded Rin with a tired look. “I’m sure your fish boy isn’t going to be welcomed back warmly once someone finds out about his escape and surprisingly miraculous recovery. We could be looking at a cataclysmic event here. We might’ve just pissed off the most dangerously elusive killer and we’re not one step closer to apprehending the bastard.”

Realizing Sousuke believed his hunch was true and at last admitting Haru’s innocence in the situation, Rin took a step back, his eyes wide.

Sighing, Sousuke explained, “When asked about the investigation I noticed he beat around the bush with an answer. While interrogating him, he was straightforward with his replies. It’s not a lot to go on, but I think we’re at least looking at one of our killers being the one blackmailing him. And your stupid reasoning is making me think you might be on to something.”

Seijuro interjected, “We won’t get further identifying our killer if we don’t get sleep. I think it would be wise to keep an eye on Haruka tonight just to be sure he is safe. Tomorrow, we’ll go about our day like this didn’t happen. If we somehow flag our blackmailer and he realizes what occurred, he might get angry like Sousuke said. The last thing we need is for unnecessary people to get caught in the crossfire.”

“We can’t just go on pretending this didn’t happen. His life is at risk. I can’t turn my back on him knowing that much,” Rin fired, voicing his opinion loudly.

“Rin, we are not turning our back on anyone,” Seijuro stated calmly. “We are just going to be working the case from the outside. This is evidence enough of a serious underlying issue. We need to approach this carefully or someone will get hurt.”

Rin tightened his lips into a line. Seijuro’s words were final, but at least he gave a good explanation to back his current plan of action.

“Get some sleep, all of you. It’s double time starting tomorrow.”

A collective sigh answered his order. Ai sunk back into the chair he was sitting in with heavy eyes. Momo grabbed the nearest blanket and threw himself onto the couch. Since Haru would take his bed, he was inevitably kicked out of his own room. Sousuke huffed, a wordless battle beginning between the two friends. He wasn’t about to give that couch up so easily. Carefully carrying Haru back down the hallway, Rin and Seijuro followed suit. The tallest entered the room to lay him gently on the bed. A hand landed on Rin’s shoulder.

“Once he realizes he spent the night here, he’ll probably try and escape. You might be the only one who can stop him.”

Rin looked into Seijuro’s golden eyes, unsure if he meant more than the obvious words that slipped through his lips. “Chief?” he asked warily.

Finished putting the merman to bed, Sousuke appeared in the doorway with a small blush tinting the skin below his eyes pink. Crossing his arms over his chest unable to make eye contact, he sighed heavily. “You’re an idiot sometimes, Matsuoka.”

The grip on his shoulder tightened. “Just this once.” Seijuro cleared his throat, finding the topic slightly awkward. “Because mixing business with pleasure is strictly against the rules. And don’t think any of us can hear you if you start something. These walls are thin.” Tapping the structure he mentioned, Seijuro walked away. The awkwardness lingered, however.

Rin’s face flooded with color. It wasn’t as uncomfortable until Seijuro divulged further. Uncertain if he wanted to sleep next to Haru because of that reason alone, Sousuke stepped out of the way.

“No funny business. Save that for when our killer is behind bars.”

Rin kicked his partner in the ass as he walked away with a chuckle. He almost slammed the door behind him too, but caught himself at the last minute. Haru was still sleeping. He didn’t need the stress of keeping the merman from leaving suddenly while still sleep deprived. Waking him now would cause just that. Turning toward the bed, Rin took a few steps toward his lover. Guilt raked his mind. Originally he figured Haru would be in danger due to him being a target. He could’ve laughed at his ignorance. It was completely opposite of his original fear, and honestly not much better as situations go.

He rubbed a hand through his hair trying to understand the events unfolding. Who could it be? Who could get to Haru while he was in the tank? The answer refused to surface. Sighing, he started undressing. Sleep was a necessity at this point. Seijuro was right. They needed rest. It wasn’t any use pondering the thought now. Slipping under the blankets, he carefully positioned himself around Haru. His body felt too warm, a side effect of the drug most likely. Rin ran a hand through his raven colored hair, pushing it out of his eyes. Gently kissing him on the forehead, he succumbed to the numbness of sleep. A new day would begin when he opened his eyes, and Rin was hopeful they would uncover a few more answers when it did.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please have a safe weekend everyone! Sorry for any mistakes!

Overcome with sheer panic, Rin’s eyes shot open. His body was drenched in sweat and his pulse was elevated enough to cause slight lightheadedness. The room his eyes attempted to adjust to was spinning. Unable to remember any sort of dream, Rin wondered what caused his rude awakening. It had to be early; his body still craved rest. Rolling over to his side, he found himself stiff. What greeted him was a pair of ocean blue restless eyes boring deep into his mind. They sent shivers down his spine. Maybe his subconscious picked up on Haru’s intense stare forcing his body into fight or flight mode.

“Haru,” Rin groaned, his voice barely audible.

Hands laced themselves around Rin’s slightly shaking body, pulling him closer to Haru. Ducking his head, the merman rested his forehead against the red head’s collarbone. Reciprocating the kindness, Rin wrapped his own arms around Haru, tangling his hand into his dark locks. That simple act caused his anxiety to improve.

“You were having a nightmare.” Haru’s words were muffled in his chest. “You were thrashing enough to wake me up.”

Rin bit his lip. How could he have forgotten something that caused so much stress to his body? He apologized quietly. He knew raising his voice above a whisper would wake the other members in the household. The last thing he wanted was this small moment of togetherness with Haru to be interrupted. What if it was the last time? He squeezed harder, never wanting to let go. Overwhelming sadness enveloped his mind.

Rin choked, “Why? Why are you trying to run away from me? I can help you.”

He could feel Haru holding his breath, debating how to best approach the situation. “It’s bigger than you could ever imagine. No one is safe, Rin. Not me, not you, not your friends, not even mine.”

“Then tell me what I can do to help,” Rin breathed, refusing to give up on him.

“Let me go. Leave me behind and get the hell away from here.”

His words made Rin sick. “I can’t.”

“He’s made two attempts already. I can’t fight him off forever. At some point he’ll get angry and lash out. You’re most likely next. And…” Haru paused to collect himself, “and I can’t watch you get hurt.”

“Two?” Rin spat, his loud voice echoing around the room. He forgot about the others sleeping under the same roof. Haru hushed him immediately, listening for stirrings coming from beyond the walls. After a few minutes of silence, he apologized yet again.

Shifting, the merman pulled the collar of his shirt down to his shoulder, revealing the bite mark left on his neck that Rin had spotted at the aquarium. His stomach dropped before his mind started slowly connecting dots. It wasn’t common to bite people for one, but being in close quarters with his blackmailer, he could possibly know who was behind the chaos. “Haru,” he began, his voice unsteady addressing the first important point. “Why did he bite you?”

Haru pushed his face deeper into Rin’s chest, tightening his grip around his body. He could feel the immense amount of uneasiness well inside of his lover to the point where he began feeling it seeping from the merman’s core.

Unsure if he even wanted the truth, Rin asked, “Is your blackmailer The Fine Diner?”

His lack of response other than clinging on to Rin’s body for dear life sold him on his answer. He couldn’t tell everyone last night for unknown reasons, but Rin was relieved he could disclose this information solely to him. This was a major breakthrough in the case, and his feelings of betrayal were all but a distant memory. I felt a little sheepish knowing the full extent of the truth. Haru managed to escape not only once, but twice. Sousuke was right. This could turn into a cataclysmic event in the result of this information going public. There was truth behind Haru’s words too.

A lot of people could get hurt.

“Do you know who he is? Do you know who did this to you?” Rin’s body was shaking. Unsure if it was due to Haru’s life being in danger, or the anticipation of his next response. Ultimately, this could be it. Haru could be the key to end this five-year span of chasing their tails attempting to catch the monster haunting the streets. And comically enough, he was a suspect not that long ago.

“Yes.”

Rin jerked himself from Haru’s grip and shot out of bed, his body unable to take it any longer. He felt like he should be doing something, but the only quiet thing he could manage was pacing. This was it. This was the end of the struggle. After enough strides to cover the room three times over, he clambered back on the bed, supporting himself over Haru. His blue eyes were swimming again. Rin could see the fear.

“Can you tell me who he is?” he continued, too much expectancy running through his body. He was nearly vibrating.

Haru’s eyes sunk, his eyebrows creasing together. If anything, he looked like he was on the verge of tears. It ripped at Rin’s heart. He had never seen Haru in such a state. The merman turned his body over, burrowing his head in the pillow.

“Haru,” Rin begged. His feelings of excitement were quickly replaced with forlornness.

He shook his head, his body heaving. Rin dropped next to him, realizing at once that Haru was crying. Hastily, he pulled him back into his arms, pushing his head into his chest. His sobs were muffled against his skin, but it didn’t stop the tears rolling across his chest to the sheets below. Rin held him there until he was sure his weeping came to a stop and kissed him on the forehead to reassure him he would always be there to comfort him.

“We can protect you. We can get you out of this town and away from that monster. I promise you’ll be safe.” Even though Seijuro wanted to work this angle from the outside, he couldn’t allow it. Rin ran a hand through Haru’s dark hair in an attempt to console him. He could feel the merman taking in a trembling breath.

“No you can’t.”

His words stung. Rin pulled him tighter, reluctant to hear Haru’s negative remarks.

His lover’s voice, muffled from the pressure against his chest, could still be heard. “Rin, if I don’t go back there, he’ll start killing innocent people. And I don’t think he’ll stop at just one or two.”

“I won’t let you,” Rin replied sternly, refusing to let go. “I’m not going to let you risk your life for this.”

Wiggling his body to get his hands in a proper angle, Haru pushed the red head away until they were on opposite sides of the bed. Their gazes met again, one stubborn look versus another. “It isn’t your decision to make.”

Rin clicked his tongue. “I don’t think it’s yours.”

The far-off ring of a phone cut through their argument pulling both of their attentions toward it. Rin propped himself up on his elbow listening closer.

“That’s Seijuro’s ringtone,” he confirmed as soon as it cut off. A garbled voice could be heard. The walls were causing the Chief’s words to sound like incoherent gibberish. Disheartened upon that insight, Rin’s heart started racing as he waited. There weren’t too many times anyone in their department would get a phone call at this early hour unless something terrible occurred. A minute went by without noise. Rin debated getting out of bed to see what was going on, until a knock sounded at their door.

He clambered out of the tangled mess of blankets and threw the door open. The look that greeted him caused him to take a few steps back in shock. “Seijuro?”

“We have two bodies, get dressed.” Seijuro’s voice was strained.

“ _T-Two?!_ ”

He sighed, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes. “Get dressed.” He started down the hall to inform the others.

“W-wait!” Rin called, stumbling to the doorway to catch him before the Chief continued down the passageway. When his golden eyes were settled on Rin, he continued, “Are they…” He couldn’t find the words. Haru’s crazy remarks were beginning to sound saner. Maybe there wasn’t an alternative. This was an ultimatum and The Fine Diner was already pissed off. This could be just the beginning.

His gold stare dropped to the floor. “Yes, they’re confirmed Diner victims.”

A multitude of questions rapped his mind, but he couldn’t find a decent place to start. Turning back to Haru, his gut sunk further. The merman pulled his knees up to his chest with the report, his head buried behind them. Clinging to them like it was his last defense against the next attack, his body began shaking.

“Haru,” Rin sympathized, crossing the room to comfort him.

Reaching a hand toward him, Haru spoke. “Stay away from me.” Rin recoiled, stunned with disbelief. He suddenly felt responsible. If he would’ve left Haru were he was last night, maybe this wouldn’t have happened. But then maybe Haru wouldn’t be alive. The merman’s voice that slapped Rin across the face was unsteady and laced with fear, and yet, Haru found the strength to continue. “You’re only going to get hurt.”

“I can protect myself,” Rin replied, steadfast with his response. Haru remained in his fetal position, reluctant to let go of his legs or look him in the eye. Throwing on his clothes from last night, Rin stormed to the door unhappy with his lack of reply and refusal of help. Maybe Seijuro would be able to shed some light on their situation. Hesitating slightly, he glanced back at Haru. He still hadn’t moved. With another click of his tongue, Rin walked out.

Reaching the living space where everyone was squinting and groaning from the recent light Seijuro flipped on, he found their Chief rather quickly. Joining him at his side, Rin advanced.

“Do you have a minute?”

“Rin, we have bodies to look at,” his Chief complained, rubbing the back of his neck.

“It’s about Haru.”

Seijuro inhaled deeply. “This better not be relationship advice.”

Rin grabbed the sleeve of his shirt and pulled him away from their other coworkers that were slowly getting dressed. Once they were settled in the kitchen far enough away that Rin felt he could whisper without them overhearing, he continued. His voice low, he began with what Haru enlightened him with this morning. “Haru disclosed to me that The Fine Diner is really the person whose been blackmailing him. For whatever reason he didn’t want to tell you yesterday didn’t apply to me. He knows who he is but is refusing to speak.”

“Are you sure?” Seijuro’s full attention was on Rin now waiting for more. He could still sense an unsure feeling coming from the Chief, but the news was hardly something to bring up unless it was absolutely necessary. The seasoned officer knew that of his younger coworker. Coming from Momo, he would toss him aside aimlessly.

“Yes, I am one hundred percent sure. But Haru is unwilling to help himself. He thinks more people are going to get hurt if he goes into hiding and refuses to do anything but go back to the aquarium. Can you talk to him?”

Seijuro sighed again, a common occurrence when the Diner was involved. “I thought we agreed to play this off as if nothing happened.”

“But that was before I realized he knew who The Fine Diner is. We have enough leverage to put him into hiding. He isn’t safe if he goes back.”

“Can’t you talk to him?” Seijuro asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“He’s not listening to me.”

“Seijuro!” Sousuke called from the other room. “We’re ready when you are!”

The officer turned toward Rin, a troubled look hardening his face. He knew immediately that his own confidante was struggling with the idea of an innocent person decline easy help. Yet alone refuse to speak of the identity of their killer. “We can’t force him to do anything, Rin. If that’s what he wants to do, then let him go back. We’re going to work this from the outside. He could do us some good, being on the inside and all. The only thing we’re lacking is evidence. Maybe we can finally get our hands on something solid here.”

Rin shifted his eyes away from Seijuro’s golden stare. He couldn’t take it. The situation felt wrong. Haru shouldn’t have to go back, and he certainly shouldn’t feel like there wasn’t another option.

A hand landed on his shoulder. “I understand this is a difficult decision. We’re going to do the best we can to protect him, okay? Even if that means putting a few extra guards in the rounds.”

Nodding halfheartedly, Rin still refused to look Seijuro in the eye. This felt like the worst kind of betrayal, but even he knew there wasn’t much they could do if they’re trying to protect someone with no interest in being protected.

After some thought, Rin concurred, “I’ll get a story together and drop him off on the way to the crime scene. I’ll meet you there.”

Seijuro squeezed his shoulder and left without another word. He could hear him calling orders in the next room but the words weren’t sinking in. His mind was in a daze; unsure of everything, even if this world he was living in was real. Somehow meandering back to Momo’s room, he found Haru standing at the window gazing up at the moon that would soon disappear with the sunlight. At first he didn’t notice Rin’s return. In that moment, the red head took in the full sight of the rawest form of Haruka.

Tears had left streaks of moisture down his cheeks, his blue eyes staring off into the sky wishing to be anywhere but here. The streetlight highlighted his skin accenting every curve and every muscle perfectly. He looked quaint, but Rin could see the tremendous amount of heaviness and dread behind his façade. Would this be the last time he saw him alive?

Suddenly, Haru’s body shifted in remark of Rin’s presence. His cobalt eyes widened when tears started spilling down Rin’s pink cheeks. He didn’t dare approach, sensing a strange undertone to the room.

“You’re making a mistake,” Rin managed to choke, clenching his hands into fists. It was his last line of defense. It was now or never. Whether he meant ill by his words or not, they had to be said. “If you go back there, you’re throwing away everything we have here.”

Haru’s eyes widened further as he stood grounded, dumbstruck, and speechless.

“I don’t want you to die,” the red head continued to sob, finally turning his head away from his lover’s shocked expression. Silence filled the space separating them. It ushered in a sense of stillness as Rin sucked in copious amounts of air to stop the tears. He didn’t expect Haru to respond, not with the dumbstruck look on his face. He felt silly going to such extremes to save his life, but he meant it all. By going back, he would forfeit his life. A world without Haru was something Rin couldn’t fathom at the moment.

Hands brushed against Rin’s sides before tangling together behind his back. Haru had crossed the distance of the room and Rin didn’t even notice. He met his sadden look, surprised he even attempted to come near him. His lips downturned, he pushed his forehead against his red headed lover’s. His whispered words crushed his already breaking heart.

“I don’t want you to die either.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally some answers!
> 
> And about the remaining chapters...those archive warnings are going to start slipping into this work, specifically the "Major Character Death" which I tagged for the next chapter. It's probably an exaggerated warning, but I thought I would give everyone a heads up! I'll also comment about this again before I post the next chapter, and will try to continue to do so for all archive warnings as this story progresses. It gets ugly.
> 
> On a better note, thanks for reading! Hope to see you early next week for Chapter 22. :)


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Major Character Death(s)
> 
> ~  
> Felt like posting early. Hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend! :)

“In you go.” Rin heaved, shoving Haru toward Goro and Kisumi. He stumbled forward. Playing innocent, his blue eyes widened with shock. He was slow to regain enough balance to stand up straight. It tightened Rin’s stomach knowing he wasn’t fully recovered from last night. Rubbing the tiredness from his eyes, the red head yawned. They were back inside the lobby area of the aquarium at an ungodly hour. After getting a hold of the owner, they planned to meet there.

“Where were you?” Goro asked Haru sternly, crossing his arms over his chest.

“By the ocean,” Rin answered in lieu of the merman. His voice was monotone with annoyance, laying on the lies thick. “Said he couldn’t get enough space to swim around freely in the tank and felt he needed to stretch his fins or something.”

Kisumi crossed his arms over his chest too, blown away by his reasoning. “Seriously?”

Sighing, Rin shifted his weight to one leg, checking the time on his watch. It was way too early for the formalities, especially when two Diner victims awaited him past the exit doors. Regardless, Goro and Kisumi both agreed to meet him here to make sure of Haru’s safe return. Feeling like he couldn’t decline, he brought the merman straight there.

“You’d think he would surprise you after all of this time, but I guess at the end of the day Haru is just Haru,” Goro half chuckled half sighed. “You could’ve asked first instead of sneaking out.”

Haru avoided all eye contact, holding his gaze on his shoes. Rin explained the plan in the car on the way over. The merman barely responded back, but he was doing exactly as he intended. The officer could only pray that he would be able to make it back to the aquarium before The Fine Diner made his move. Partially wondering if bringing him back too early would cause a massive hiccup in the hasty plan he threw together, Rin reminded Haru to ask him for assistance regardless of the circumstances. And no matter what, Haru should fight for his life because one measly minute could save it.

“Just make sure this doesn’t happen again,” Rin harped.

“You got it,” Kisumi said, his voice was unsure like he doubted his own security measures. He scratched at his shaking head, but smiled.

“I’m sure you have places to be?” Goro asked, allowing Rin to go.

With a nod toward the aquarium owner, Rin called to Haru, “If I catch you leaving here again, I’m going to put Seijuro on your ass. He isn’t pleasant toward annoying repeat offenders.”

Haru glanced toward the red head, an irritated look plastering his face. “Whatever.” Without another word, he began walking alone toward the hallway that led deeper within the building. All three men watched him taken aback by his snarky remark.

Goro shrugged. “Thanks again for your help, Rin.”

His crimson eye twitched with frustration. Even now, Haru still acted like he was on a high horse. With a killer actively trying to seize him and Rin upset that he refused his help, the merman played along too well like everything was ordinarily fine. Accidentally, his pent up feelings flowed into his words, as he angrily stated, “No problem.”

“Something wrong?” Goro asked, catching is strange tone of voice.

Clicking his tongue, Rin turned toward the doors. “No. I have to go. I’ll be back later.” Waving his hand without a glance behind, he continued into the slowly brightening morning. He figured the sun would finally reveal herself once he reached the crime scene. Glancing at his phone checking for notifications, he climbed into the patrol vehicle and took off in the direction of his coworkers. The Fine Diner already lashed out with Haru’s escape. He wondered what would happen if he caught on to their little charade. It was his main reason to put Haru into hiding in the first place. One slip of the tongue and their entire plan could circle down the toilet.

Gnawing his lip, Rin took a left down a side street. That unsettled feeling was ever present in his gut. They had stopped to get a quick bite to eat before dropping Haru at the aquarium. His breakfast sandwich churned helplessly inside his stomach, begging to get out. There were still no solid leads on a suspect. They had plans to question all of the officers assigned to the aquarium, but Rin doubted one of them could be the killer. He knew them personally and felt he was a decent enough judge of character to vouch for them. The possibility existed that Goro or Kisumi could be him, but he doubted that too. As long-term friends of Haru’s, he felt the merman would be suspicious after an extended amount of contact.

Who did that leave? Who else could it be? A random? No, it was probably someone that worked at the aquarium. But how could they have personal contact with Haru without notice? Maybe Kisumi’s cameras picked up on their man. Rin sighed. He realized there wasn’t a single camera focused on the stairs leading up to the entrance of the tank. However, the bite mark on Haru’s shoulder happened the night they decided to put him in the public’s eye. Rin and Seijuro were late to the meeting, but Makoto was there with Haru. Maybe he would know what happened. Their search could be narrowed down to whoever was working that day.

Rin pulled the car as close as he could get it to the crime scene. Ai was currently attempting to block off the surrounding area of the bodies to preserve evidence and to keep prying eyes from seeing too much. Using trees and stanchions as supports, he slowly unrolled the caution tape. Exiting the vehicle, Rin ducked under the yellow and black strip and continued toward Seijuro. Once finished here, they would go back to the office. At least he felt like there was a solid place to start their search. Hopefully they could identify the killer before it was too late.

“Rin,” Seijuro called softly as the officer approached. “I take it everything went well?”

“As well as it could, I guess,” he replied, taking in the sight of the crime scene. There was a lot less blood than he imagined. In fact, he couldn’t even find a drop. The two bodies were currently covered up with plastic to protect their identity. Forensics already placed their markers near identifying pieces of evidence. The photographer was snapping pictures not far from Rin. But even on a second glance, not much was there. Something felt wrong.

Seijuro clenched the cup of coffee in his gloved hand. “Rin…” he began quietly, unsure how to best approach his coworker. Rin forced himself to pay close attention to his boss, sensing the urgency and trepidation. Eyeing the surrounding area for eavesdroppers, the Chief continued. “After what you said to me this morning, and your deductions from last night, I’m really beginning to worry about how correct your hunch might be.”

Anxiety caused his heart to pound in his ears. Seijuro wasn’t telling him something. It was obvious they found a huge piece of evidence to connect the dots, but was extremely hesitant to release the information.

“Seijuro?” Rin asked cautiously approaching, afraid of what his boss found.

The Chief bit his lip. “Just brace yourself.”

He nodded at Sousuke who was crouched down looking at something near the plastic covering the bodies. Catching his golden eyes, he grabbed the corner of the sheet and pulled it away. The blood drained from Rin’s body leaving him cold and empty. He wasn’t even sure if he was breathing anymore. Managing to stay upright, he clenched the front of his day old shirt attempting to grab at the soul he was sure was struggling to exit his body.

What lied before him were two fairly intact bodies. Each of their throats was sliced clean to the vertebrae. They had been cleaned thoroughly enough to mask any traces blood before being dumped here, a sure sign they wouldn’t find any of the killer’s DNA. All of their clothing remained. Sousuke was holding bags of their belongings he managed to get a hold of. Nothing unusual. And a bite of flesh was missing from each neck, the age-old marker of their notorious Fine Diner.

All of the small details were normal, common even. But what almost knocked Rin over were the identities of the two male victims: One Nagisa Hazuki and the other Rei Ryugazaki. They were placed here like display pieces. The Diner even had them holding hands. This wasn’t an ordinary crime scene. This was the Diner publicly flaunting his ability to kill on a whim.

“ _Christ_ ,” Rin breathed, realizing he was holding his breath. He put a hand to his forehead attempting to slow the dizziness.

Seijuro exhaled heavily. “It’s to my understanding that these two men are close friends with Haruka.” Rin nodded, prompting the Chief to continue. “If this isn’t a coincidence, your hunch will suddenly start looking like a viable option.”

The red headed officer turned to his boss too quickly. He could feel the Earth turning beneath his feet. As surreal as the moment felt, his job needed to be done. “A coincidence? Viable option?” Rin lowered his voice, “I told you what Haru said to me this morning. He wouldn’t lie. Not to me.”

“There is nothing here that screams our killer is targeting a specific person,” Seijuro retaliated, removing Haru’s name in case of eavesdroppers. “It just looks like our Diner picked a random male couple and killed them.”

“But why,” Rin continued, dragging out his words. Sousuke joined them, interested in the topic at hand. “Why did he suddenly kill two people? And why a couple?” Rin paused, realizing that he never told Haru about his meeting with his friends, and his feeling about them being in a relationship was correct as well. “It doesn’t begin to explain their specific positioning. And why would he pick two people with close ties to him?”

“Relax, Rin,” Sousuke interjected. “We all have a lot of questions circulating about. But we won’t get any answers without proper evidence. We could use your keen eyes about now.”

The red head pinched the bridge of his nose. Sousuke was right. Getting upset would only take up more of the little amount of time they had to solve this case. Taking a few calming breaths, he stepped forward with a nod. Sousuke passed him the evidence bags he was holding. Inside were normal items, phones, wallets, keys, and a small toy from a restaurant they most likely stopped at during their date. The clothes they’re wearing indicated they were taken at some point during their time together.

“I called the restaurant when I noticed the toy,” Seijuro began. “Momo goes there all of the time. Our victims were last seen leaving around nine thirty. They were killed, cleaned, and dropped within eight hours.”

“ _Eight hours?_ ” Rin repeated, appalled by the short time span. He had days between this murder and the last to stock his prey, but all of that work for two people. It was most likely to prove a point, and Haru was a sitting duck. He needed to get out of the aquarium as quickly as possible. But without substantial evidence to back up his feeling, Rin doubted he could do anything to change Seijuro’s mind.

“Was anything else found?” Rin asked, squatting next to Rei. His cold, blue face set him on edge. It wasn’t unlike Haru’s sickly look when he found him last night.

Sousuke answered, “Unfortunately, no. I checked all of the pockets and anything that could’ve been hanging around their necks, but nothing else surfaced. I know this wasn’t where he killed them. It’s jarringly clean. Our temporary coroner placed their time of death roughly around ten last night.”

“We do have a partial footprint, which is better than what we’ve collected at other crime scenes, but other than that, the surrounding area is untouched.” Seijuro sipped his coffee. “As per usual, he dumped our victims at a remote enough place that doesn’t have any traffic cameras. We don’t have any video evidence, and certainly no eyewitnesses. He’s playing us as fools.”

“An ambulance has arrived to take the bodies to the morgue,” Ai piped up, interrupting the conversation at hand. He must’ve finished blocking off the area. All eyes fell on the blocky van, it’s flashing lights drawing unwanted attention.

“The press will be here soon. Let’s get this wrapped up,” Seijuro said, walking with Aiichiro toward the medics to give them instructions. Rin was certain the lack of a coroner would cause a delay in the autopsy process. It was just another shot of bad luck to top off the lack of proof they established.

“What a mess,” Rin sighed, glancing around again just in case his eyes missed a minute detail. A partial footprint was nothing to scoff at. It could be used as a comparison tool while looking through all of the people working the aquarium that night. “We’re chasing our tails yet again, with nothing more than a stockpile of bodies that only continues to grow.”

“Are you sure we didn’t miss anything? I figured there would be more of a clue or something indicating a personal vendetta,” Sousuke asked. He rubbed the back of his neck warily, his lack of sleep catching up fast.

Rin silently shook his head as the two medics that would take the bodies away greeted them. They rolled a stretcher next to Rei, the closer of the two men to the ambulance. Rin lost himself in their habitual movements. He observed the same process again and again over the last five years. Another body, another ambulance, another autopsy, another dead end, and all too soon another body. It was like a broken record. The night he fell into the ocean, they followed a lead dropped by an anonymous person directly to the department. It brought them headfirst into the rare confrontation of criminals working closely with the Diner. Over the years, it was proven to be more than a one-man show. The complex kidnappings, the strange drop areas, but it always led to a dead end. They would get their hands on a few of his devotees on occasion, but they would never talk. The lead they would gather from these altercations always turned cold. It was enough to keep Rin awake at night.

The two medics carefully began hoisting the cadaver onto the stretcher. The hands of the lovers slipped apart forever. It broke Rin’s heart as he watched it happen. That was, until he saw a shimmer of blue.

“ _Wait!_ ” Rin yelled. His voice carried, causing everyone to freeze in their tracks. Throwing himself to the asphalt, he snatched a glove from the bag hanging from one the medic’s belts. Carefully picking up the item that was secretly tucked away in the victim’s intertwined hands, he slowly rose to his feet. His coworkers gathered around as he turned to face them. Holding out his hand, he revealed the small bluish green scale that distinctly resembled the ones that Haru sprouted during his transformation. Rin measured Seijuro’s troubled look with his own as he dug his phone out of his pocket and began to dial the aquarium number immediately.

As it rang in his ear, Rin dared to ask, “Is this enough evidence for you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably an over-exaggerated warning. Sorry. But to me Rei and Nagisa are major characters in Free! (but not really in this fic). ;.;


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Felt like posting this one early too! Last "filler" chapter before shit hits the fan. >:)  
> *horror music intensifies*
> 
> Also, I've officially completed this work! Woo!! And, happily, I can announce I'm working on another (non-sequel)!! Details to come later. :)

“Pick up, pick up,” Rin begged hugging the phone against his ear with his shoulder. It rang incessantly with no answer. Trying to remain hopeful of Haru’s well being, he held out the merman’s scale for Sousuke to put into an evidence bag with shaking hands.

At last a voice resonated from the other end. _“Sasabe Aquarium, this is Goro speaking.”_

“Goro! It’s Rin. I need you to put Haru on the phone.”

_“Right now?”_

“Yes,” Rin replied sternly. He was attempting to sound more professional and less panicked, but he couldn’t even fool himself. “I know he’s swimming, but I need to talk to him.”

Goro confirmed his request but sounded doubtful on why something would need his immediate attention in the middle of the morning. Without hesitation, he put the line on hold and Rin was left waiting once again, listening to stupid facts about the different kinds of fish housed within the glass walls.

“Let’s go, boys!” Seijuro called, rounding up his coworkers and herding them toward the vehicles. He had made the executive decision to head to the aquarium regardless of what Goro said. Rin followed suit, unable to hang up the phone quite yet. He was holding his breath in anticipation, unable to think about what could really be happening. Jumping into the passenger’s seat of Sousuke’s car, they were quickly on their way.

The Fine Diner lashed out because Haru managed to slip past his fingers last night. Not only did he kill two of his closest friends with ease, but also managed to plant a huge piece of evidence into the crime scene. Seijuro’s original plan of working the case from the outside would need to be revised. Now that they were fairly certain the Diner was targeting Haru, they would need to take immediate action.

_“Rin?”_

“Haru,” the red head breathed, deflating against the back of the seat. He didn’t realize he was holding his breath until now as relief flooded through his body. Sousuke flashed him a smile, just as pleased.

_“Is everything okay?”_

He must’ve picked up on his worried tone. “Yes…actually no. We’re heading your way right now. Can you stay on the line a little while longer?” Rin didn’t want to hang up and in the few minutes it would take to cross town to reach him something bad to happen. Even though he would be powerless to stop any pass at Haru in the next few minutes, he felt more secure hearing him on the other end of the line.

_“Sure. Can you tell me what’s going on?”_

“We will when we reach you,” Rin promised, biting his lip. How was he ever going to tell Haru the news? How would he take knowing his friends have died because of Rin? If he would’ve left him there, they would be alive. Would he blame him? The grief was debilitating, making him bend over to suppress the sob about to rupture.

Haru didn’t say much on the rest of the trip to the aquarium. With Rin holding back tears, he couldn’t open his mouth to voice anything either. Hoping Seijuro would be able to explain things at a much steadier way, the red head figured it would be simpler to take the news coming from his boss. Rin was slow exiting the car once they found a reasonable parking spot. The lot was nearly full with the bustle of afternoon crowds. Goro’s advertising really paid off.

“Haru, we’re here. I’m going to hang up now, but stay with Goro until we reach you. Okay?” Rin was almost petitioning.

The voice was slow to reply. Haru was always quick to catch on. _“Rin, what’s going on?”_

“We’ll be up there soon,” the officer said, fully evading his question.

_“Rin– ”_

His thumb tapped the red circle, ending the call. It was almost easier that way as Rin subdued another wave of overwhelming sadness. Haru’s voice cracked at the last mention of his name. Unsure of the specifics behind the sudden visit, the merman was highly suspicious and probably knew something terrible happened in his absence. Once all coworkers had centralized near the entrance, they made their move.

“I’ll do the talking,” Seijuro confirmed, swiping his card through the exchange. Holding the door open for all four members, he took the rear and followed them through the booming hallway and up the stairs to the tank entrance.

Sickened with worry, Rin was the first to enter. First noticing Goro stayed with Haru even though it was a strange request. He was scratching at his yellow hair, unsure of the circumstances. Haru was half submerged in the wade pool’s entrance into the tank, his arms resting on the concrete surrounding the opening. His worried expression set Rin on edge. He couldn’t turn away from his blue eyes. Wishing he could hide under a rock, Seijuro cleared his throat.

“Goro, if you don’t mind.” The Chief stepped to the side clearing a path to the door. He indicated the aquarium owner to kindly exit the room for the conversation.

“Not at all,” he said slowly, crossing the distance with a quizzical look. “I’ll go and close the exhibit for a while.” With those words, he shut the metal door behind him.

Once Seijuro was certain he had walked down the entirety of the metal stairs, he turned to Haru and began the conversation that would inevitably cause heartbreak. “Haruka, I’m terribly sorry to inform you of this, but we found two new bodies this morning as you well know. Your friends, Rei Ryugazaki and Nagisa Hazuki, have tragically lost their lives to our serial cannibal during the late hours of last night.”

It was like watching a slow motion movie. With each word, Haru’s face blanched a sickly white. His hands curled into fists, the blood leaving his knuckles too. Rin had never seen an expression quite like the one plastered onto Haru’s face before, and he was certain he never wanted to see it again. He remained rooted, unable to step forward to comfort him in fear of breaking some unknown work rule. Resisting every urge, he bit his lower lip, drawing blood almost instantaneously.

“We found some compelling evidence The Fine Diner is targeting you. As of now, with your approval, we would like to place you under our protection or keep extra guards around until we can apprehend the man who’s behind all of this.”

Haru lowered his head, his raven hair conveniently covering his face. Rin watched as his body began shaking uncontrollably. He was slow to move, but wrapped his arms around themselves into a solitary hug. Squeezing the life out of his own body, he managed to choke out a few words. His voice was eerily quiet, “More people will get hurt.”

“Haruka…” Seijuro pleaded, knowing they would have to talk him into one of the two options for his safety. “We don’t want to see anyone else get hurt but that includes you too.”

Rin watched the conversation unfold unable to find the appropriate words to say. All he wanted was to comfort the man he had fallen in love with, and some unseen wall was preventing him from taking the few steps to reach him.

Without a response from the merman, the Chief continued, “I know the news of your friends’ death is a huge shock. We want to extend our hand out to you. We’re here for you and we won’t turn our backs away.”

Haru clutched his upper arms tighter. With his hair still covering his face, Rin didn’t know what he was thinking. Holding that horrible feeling deep in his gut, he figured it wasn’t anything good. Slowly, the merman raised his head. His face was blotchy with tears. His eyes were trying to scream for help, but his words told a different story.

“Leave me alone.” In an instant, he submerged below the water. It was then Rin found his legs. He ran forward, carefully stepping around the entrance to the tank and stood on the glass half dipped into the exhibit’s water. His red eyes scanned for the merman.

Seijuro cussed loudly. “That could’ve gone better.” Rin knew this wasn’t the first time someone reacted to saddening news. In fact, he would almost say that people lashed out rather than took it calmly. It was much easier to blame someone else for unexplainable occurrences.

“Rin?” Sousuke’s voice sounded asking his partner how they should proceed.

The red head squatted, and without shifting his gaze, he placed his hands on the glass. He watched helplessly as Haru glided into the wall of the tank, sliding down until he rested on the bottom of the falsified ocean habitat. There he remained unmoving. Before his brain even computed, Rin was tearing off his clothes.

“Rin?” This time it was Ai who questioned him. He could hear how incredibly worried he was. Something bigger than they knew was lurking in the shadows. It would be unwise not to fear it.

“Leave Haru to me. I think it would be prudent to talk to Goro about increasing security measures. I doubt I can talk him into leaving this place, but we need to do something.”

“It might also be wise to ask how many scales Haru sheds, and where the discarded ones go,” Sousuke added. “This could narrow down our suspects.”

“Good, good.” Seijuro was nodding.

“We need to get a list together of everyone who was at the aquarium the night Haru went public. I know our killer was there,” Rin added.

“Then leave the outside formalities to us,” Seijuro agreed. “Make sure Haruka is okay.”

After stripping to his underwear, Rin discarded his clothes off to the side. It reminded him of how Haru’s clothes were tossed on the beach the very first night he saw his head bobbing in the ocean waves. It was crazy how many strange happenings occurred between now and then. It was almost uncanny. Earlier, Rin wondered briefly if this was all The Fine Diner’s work, if he managed to pull enough strings to allow certain pieces of the puzzle to fall directly into place. It gave the impression of something outlandishly coincidental, enough so that he began to question it again.

With an okaying nod from his superior, Rin dove in. It was hard to see in the salty water. His depth perception was slightly off as he struggled to swimming toward Haru. Reaching the point of desperation, he kicked his legs as hard as he could. Extending a hand toward the merman, he brushed against his aqua scales. Haru’s eyes opened slowly. Once he recognized the red haired officer, he was quick to move. Grabbing Rin gently under his arms, he shot straight toward the surface. Breaking through to breathable air, the officer immediately sucked in as much oxygen as his lungs could manage. It wasn’t until later he figured out exactly where he was. Peeling himself off of the top of a decorative rock stationed in the middle of the tank, Rin glanced around. Haru deposited him on the tallest structure inside the exhibit. Currently, he was holding onto Rin’s abdomen with his face buried in his lap. Rin put a hand on his head and ran his fingers through his sopping hair.

Haru clung to him, his unrelenting sobs muffled against his legs. This wasn’t what Rin expected to happen. Not his reaction, but Nagisa and Rei’s deaths. Their killer moved unbelievably quick and still didn’t leave a trace. Somehow he managed to set his plan into motion without prior knowledge of Haru’s attempted escape. Rin knew they were working with a professional, but he was scary good. It wasn’t surprising to him they hadn’t caught him after five years. But all it takes is one hiccup, one slight misstep, and they would be able to make some serious headway. And there it was, hyperventilating into his thighs.

Possibly unknown to the Diner, Haru knew his identity. It was a major slip-up on the killer’s behalf. It wouldn’t be long before he made his final move, especially with the cops snooping around asking the right questions. It was only a matter of time, if not already, he would catch on to Haru’s slip of the tongue. He needed to know he would be protected under the department’s watchful eye. Where Rin’s problem lied was how to voice that when the killer could be watching.

Once Haru’s sobs ceased, Rin took a chance, “I know that you’re feeling an immeasurable amount of grief right now. I know that it seems like there isn’t another alternative. But I’m here. I’m not leaving you. I’m going to protect you.” He prayed they weren’t empty promises. “Please, _please_ , just let us help you.”

“Rin…” Haru begged as their eyes met. His tearful expression socked him in the gut adding to the already drowning feeling. Tears welled in the corner of his eyes clinging to his lashes. He hated seeing Haru like this and there wasn’t much he felt he could do to prevent it.

He put his best smile on pretending everything was okay. Maybe if Haru believed it, it would be enough. “I’m not taking no for an answer.”

And there it was. The faint hint of a smile ghosted his lips. Rin’s heart shattered. He couldn’t believe he thought this merman, his merman, cheated on him while all along he was dangerously close to losing his life. And through it all, he didn’t say anything in fear of dragging Rin into the mess. He felt the same when he figured the killer was targeting him. The thought of pushing his lover away crossed his mind a few times. He wasn’t upset. It was a normal reaction. But Rin felt there was a better way to go about this than pushing everyone away.

“At the very least, let us keep watch over you here. Maybe we can flush him out.”

Haru shook his head, dropping it back into Rin’s lap. “I don’t think it would make a difference what you do. I’m a dead man, Rin. Just give up.”

Rin huffed, “I’m not giving up because I know you’re not ready to either. I don’t care what he’s told you. You’re coming out of this mess alive and you’re going to be happy about it.”

After a long pause, Haru finally spoke, “That’s a high expectation. I hope I don’t disappoint you.”

Kissing him on the top of his head, Rin smiled. “You never have and I’m sure you never will. Besides, I have a lot of questions I want to ask, and dying kind of puts a wrench into my plans of a future with you.”

Haru breathed out a small hint of a chuckle. It caused the grin on Rin’s face to grow immensely. Haru lifted his head to meet his gaze again. They held themselves like that, taking in each other as much as possible. A rough road lied ahead. They both understood the gravity of the situation, and neither of them wanted to admit that Haru could become a victim regardless of what Rin promised. Instead, they clung onto the small glint of hope that maybe they would make it out of this alive, and that future would begin when this was over.

“Promise me you’ll be here when I need you.” Haru’s voice was diminutive with stress.

Rin’s breath hitched, but he forced his smile to remain regardless of the possibilities running rampant through his mind, “I promise.”


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Please enjoy and sorry for any mistakes. :)

After holding onto Haru for the better half of thirty minutes, a heavy knock resonated around the tank echoing off the glass walls creating an eerie atmosphere. With it, Haru squeezed Rin’s waist tighter. Anxiety spiked through his body immediately sensing the foreboding feelings seeping from his merman. He didn’t want to let go.

The knock sounded again. Haru’s whole body tensed as he slowly released his grip, sliding most of his body back into the water. Only his shoulders and head remained above the surface. Rin took in a shaking breath.

“I guess it’s time for me to go,” he mumbled, stating the obvious. While still holding onto the small glint of hope, he asked once more, “Are you sure you can’t come with me?”

Haru’s dark head of hair nodded slowly like he was fighting ever urge in his body to move his head side to side.

Rin bobbed his head in return, scooting across the rock formation to join Haru in the tank’s water. Once partially submerged, he felt Haru’s hands gliding back over his skin. They traced his hips before slightly dipping past his underwear grabbing at his ass. Rin gripped a small ledge of the rock to keep himself upright, his breath catching in his throat. Instantly, his body was flush against Haru’s. Gravitating to his lips, they brushed lightly. He moved his free hand to Haru’s dark locks, gripping his wet hair between his fingers. Haru made the first move, pressing his lips against Rin’s. And just as quickly as it started, a third knock sounded and he pulled away.

Disappointed and frustrated, Rin sighed heavily reluctant to remove his hand from Haru’s hair. A last second decision caused him to pull him close again, kissing him honestly. It wasn’t a long embrace, but he didn’t want this goodbye to end on a discouraging note.

“I’ll be back,” Rin promised after they broke apart.

“I’ll be here,” was all Haru could say. His eyes trailed elsewhere, looking at everything but Rin. He wanted to say more. In fact, he was sure Haru did as well. Chewing his lip, he decided it would be best to leave.

Plunging into the water, Rin swam his way back to the tank entrance. When he broke the surface inside the half glass, half concrete room, Sousuke was waiting for him with a towel. Conflicted, he was slow pulling himself from the water. Thanking his partner, he absentmindedly started to pat his body dry.

Sousuke was quietly watching, unsure what to say. Once he felt he was dry enough, Rin began pulling his clothes back on. He found himself glancing back at the exhibit looking for Haru. It was hard leaving him here knowing he was practically a lamb out for slaughter.

“Seijuro has assigned Momo and Ai to Haru for the rest of the day. We’re entitled to the night shift seeing as that would be the most fitting time for an attack,” Sousuke finally spoke. He seemed slightly disheartened. Rin wondered if he should ask if his partner witnessed their small exchange in the tank.

Before he could, Sousuke continued, “Do you really love him?”

Rin’s eyes met his partner’s dissented teal stare. It pained him as he wondered if they would start another useless argument. But with his stress through the roof, he found the words flowing out of his mouth too readily. “Probably more than you know.”

A small smile appeared on his lips, surprising Rin. “Good.”

“Good?” the red head’s shocked expression caused Sousuke to snicker.

“You idiot.” He grabbed his partner around the back of his neck walking him to the door. “Have you seen the way he looks at you?” When the response he was expecting never came, Sousuke added, “Look, I just want you to be happy. I didn’t want to believe it at first, but the more I see you two together, the more I realize just how happy he makes you. Besides, I think anyone would want someone who looks at you like you’re the greatest thing to step foot on this rotten planet.”

Rin elbowed him in the side as his face flushed pink and tears formed in his eyes. He couldn’t find the words to say so he smiled. It wasn’t what he expected coming from his partner, but he was overwhelmed with joy that he fully came to terms with his relationship. It quelled his anxious feelings.

They reached the bottom of the stairs in no time. Ai, Momo, and Seijuro were waiting for them. His smile faded quickly when he saw their serious faces. It was time to focus on the investigation, not worrying about his future. The chance of a lifetime with Haru would be fleeting if they couldn’t find The Fine Diner before he found his newest prey. Hiding the rapidly returning sickening feeling in his stomach, he waited for Seijuro to explain what they managed to accomplish in the short time frame in which he was tending to Haru.

“We’ve got our list of everyone who was working the night we brought Haruka in. As soon as we get back to the department, we need to start calling these people in for questioning along with Makoto Tachibana. Forensics reached out to me, they said they got our evidence and will be looking at the fish scale immediately. As for how many of those Haru sheds during the day, the answer was slightly disturbing.”

Rin looked between Seijuro and Sousuke. Neither of them were making eye contact. Momo and Ai shared uneasy glances. Swallowing, he dared ask, “And?”

“We talked with the two men who clean the tank, and they confirmed that, during his time here, they’ve only found two,” the Chief finished, pulling his shirt collar away from his neck.

“They were discarded in the dumpster behind the building where most droppings are thrown away. But get this, it’s the only dumpster that doesn’t have a camera facing it,” Sousuke added finally looking at Rin. He lowered his voice continuing, “Our killer had to know. He’s probably under this roof as we speak.”

Seijuro cleared his throat. “We’re fairly certain it’s someone who works here, or has spent a lot of time in and around the building. Once the aquarium closes for the night, Goro and Kisumi have agreed to come and speak with us. I think they will have more answers than most seeing as they are the two people who predominantly frequent this building.”

Rin was severely aware of how heavy his heart was beating. Finally, they were making some headway. Dry mouthed, he asked, “Do you have any ideas of who our killer could be?”

“We’re starting with the two people cleaning Haru’s tank. To me, they would be the ones who would have the highest physical contact with him on a day-to-day basis. But other than that, I’m not sure.”

Rin nodded, attempting to swallow the lump in his throat.

“In the mean time, Ai and Momo have agreed to keep any eye on him as the rest of the day commences. Once we get a handle on our evidence, I’ll be sending you two to relieve them.”

“Yes, sir,” All four of them said at once.

“Good luck,” Seijuro said, flashing his two youngest teammates a smile before walking Rin and Sousuke out of the building. Before the door shut behind them, Rin glanced back. Their nervous looks set him on edge. It was then he really wished Sousuke and himself had the first watch. He had a feeling they were about to discover something big.

 

* * *

 

Rin threw himself into his desk chair, swiveling around with the sheer force of his drop. Aggravated and hungry, he pulled his legs to his chest taking them off of the floor. His chair spun a few more times around before stopping. Sousuke lowered himself in the seat next to his partner’s, the same level of annoyance plastering his face.

“I thought out of all of those people our answer would be obvious,” Rin grumbled, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes.

They had spent the last seven hours interrogating suspects. Seijuro was finishing up talking to Goro, but even he didn’t have answers. He worked the front of the building, tending to customers who wanted to buy tickets for the day. He was in clear sight the entire time, except for bathroom breaks. As for everyone else, either they were with another coworker and their stories matched, or they were in an area that had a camera. The only exception was Kisumi, who had left right after their meeting that morning only to come back to meet the group when Haru was brought back in. An alibi held true on his time away from the aquarium. That evening he had arrived with Goro, as the aquarium owner recently confirmed, and was with someone ever since. As common as it was for Diner cases to dig up even more questions, it frustrated everyone in their department. Just as quickly as their excitement built up with the prospect of new evidence, it was crushed. There was always something blocking their way to the answers they desperately sought after.

“Relax, we’re still waiting on forensics to get back with us on Haru’s scale. Maybe he left it there on purpose.”

“Like it has some all-answering clue?” Rin asked, laying the sarcasm thick. Sousuke shot him a bitter look. “Come on. That never happens and you know it.”

His partner crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back in his chair. “I’m just trying to stay positive. This is the closest we’ve ever been to apprehending our Diner. It’s a start to say the least.”

“A start that will lead us to another dead end,” Rin stated sourly, dropping his head against his knees. Footsteps reverberated around their office space. Both officers lifted their heads to the noise as Seijuro appeared around the corner. His face was low. Passing off the two coffees he held in his hands, he sighed, “That’s a wrap. He’s as thick as he is strange. But he wouldn’t know if one of his fish was stolen if they walked it out the front door.”

“I’m taking that as a no?” Sousuke asked, knowing full well the answer to his question was yes. Seijuro didn’t even grace him with a reply.

Rin chugged the black liquid. He was going to need a constant supply if he had to stay up all night keeping an eye on Haru. And seeing as though they hadn’t gotten any further with their investigation in the seven long hours of interrogations, it seemed likely they were going to have to keep doing this until answers started appearing.

“Is that it? Was that everyone?” Sousuke asked dejectedly.

“Just Makoto is left. When I talked to him earlier, he said he had to close at his father’s café tonight. Without Haru, things have been a little busy.”

“Maybe it’s…” Sousuke’s words faded as he thought about what he was trying to say.

Rin shook his head, eyes downcast. “No. It’s not him. It can’t be him.”

“Sir?” The receptionist peeked her head around the corner, guilty for interrupting. “There’s a Tachibana here to see you.”

“Thank you, I’ll be right there.”

She nodded and left the three of them alone again. Seijuro looked around the office. They had a bulletin board filled with pictures and articles with red string attaching them all. They were pieces of evidence collected over the years, all leading to the middle question mark. Who was this man they were hunting? He had to be right under their noses. It felt right.

“Seijuro?” Sousuke asked, pulling him from his contemplation.

“I know you two can vouch for his character, but it really boils down to this. If Makoto isn’t our guy, then I’m not entirely sure we’ve collected all of the necessary pieces to solve this case.”

“Or we have and we aren’t utilizing them correctly,” Rin added, rubbing his temples. “If there was more time I could work this through. I feel like we’re missing something obvious.”

“Let me know if your brain can think something up in the next hour. After that, I’m sending you two to the aquarium.” Seijuro began walking away. Without turning back, he added, “And you better pray you figure something out before our killer gets there. You know what he’s done to some of the other men in our department.”

Rin swallowed, feeling the pressure building in his chest. It crushed his lungs giving him the sensation of suffocating. He’d seen the pictures, been to their funerals. Not one man survived personal contact with The Find Diner. And though their deaths were swift, their bodies were wrecked. It disgusted him to his core.

He felt the vibration of a notification in his pocket. Digging his hand frantically to reach his phone, his stomach dropped. Haru’s name flashed on the screen. Sousuke leaned forward sensing Rin’s sudden panic. With a shaking finger, he opened the text.

 

_Kiss me._

 

Rin stared at the words unable to breath. Rereading it over and over until his heart slowed to a reasonable pace, he clenched his fist. Tossing his phone onto his desk, he growled. “Dammit, Haru. This is not the time.”

“Sexting?” Sousuke asked with a laugh.

“Shut up,” Rin grumbled, embarrassed and upset. Haru had never sent him a text like that before, but he figured with his inept ability to state nothing but the bare bones of a sentence, Haru wouldn’t really know how to portray those feelings through a message.

Someone rounded the corner, a file in hand. Sousuke and Rin immediately straightened up. It was Uozumi Takuya from the forensics department. They had known him since high school, but they had never seen him in such a state.

“Rin.” he shoved the file into his hands, his voice unsteady. “You need to look at this.”

Wasting no time, he ripped through the seal of the manila envelope and pulled the report from its confinement. Sousuke looked over his shoulder, reading the classified content.

“ _What the hell?_ ” Rin hissed, rereading it just to be sure. Sousuke left his side at once to retrieve Seijuro.

“I double checked it myself. There isn’t any mistaking it,” Uozumi said breathless.

The two officers reared around the corner. Seijuro outstretched his hand immediately. Rin handed the file over to him, his face going pale. It wasn’t even sure how it was possible. They had missed a huge piece of information somewhere along the way, and possibly one to connect point A to B.

“Are you sure?” the Chief asked after his eyes skimmed through the document.

Uozumi nodded, swallowing hard. “That’s Rin’s fingerprint on that scale. One hundred percent match.”

“How?” Rin sputtered. “He’s in the water all day, and then they disappear when he transforms back. It’s impossible for anything like that to remain on his scales.”

Rin’s phone started vibrating again, this time incessantly signaling an incoming phone call. Everyone in the room froze, eyes falling to the red device unceremoniously tossed to the side of Rin’s desk. With a shaking hand, Rin reached for it. Haru’s name appeared on his screen once again. He was almost too afraid to answer knowing deep down something was terribly wrong. Sliding his finger across the accept button, he put the phone on speaker.

“Haru?”

_“Hello, Rin.”_

His stomach twisted into knots. That voice definitely did not belong to Haru.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HORROR MUSIC INTENSIFIES.  
> I'm fairly certain there is a cliffhanger for every chapter leading up to the end. They get worse too, just saying. XD


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter's here!! Only a few more remain. >:)

Gripping the armrests of his chair, Rin put all of his pent up anxiety toward listening to every word echoing through the speakers on his cell. Without realizing it, his whole body was tensed ready to spring at any moment. Seijuro was quietly working his magic, attaching the equipment used to track calls to Rin’s phone.

_“I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m calling you.”_

“Where-is-he?” Rin finally managed to say through gritted teeth. Each word was accented separately creating a broken sentence, but the point came across well enough.

The laugh that answered chilled him to his bones. A smooth, icy voice replied, draining the remaining blood from his body, _“Don’t worry, he’s right here.”_

“Don’t you fucking put a finger on him,” Rin warned, his voice low. Sousuke glanced worriedly at him. Even he was feeling the intensity leaking from his core.

_“Oh, Rin. Don’t make me laugh. Just because you love him doesn’t mean he belongs to you.”_

Seijuro gave the confirmation nod of getting his phone connected. There he was, exactly where they thought he would be. The aquarium’s large profile was easily recognizable on the GPS system. His fingers tightened to the point of losing all blood flow. By now he felt they should be on their way to Haru, not listening to The Diner’s bullshit.

_“I_ _almost forgot. You, and all of the people listening in on this phone call, don’t deny it; I know you’re there. You have twenty four hours to find your precious merman before my knife finds its way into his throat. I promise he’ll be alive until then…”_ a pause filled the air as everyone hung in anticipation for his next words, _“physically at least.”_

Rin chewed his tongue, blood filling his mouth. The killer’s malevolent laugh echoed throughout his head. He had enough. Leaving his phone, he bolted from his chair for the exit. Sousuke was hot on his heels, knowing his partner’s outburst was impending. It would take them ten minutes to reach the aquarium with light traffic. Maybe if they were lucky, they could reach him in half of the time. He threw himself into the passengers seat banking on Sousuke driving yet again. At least he knew he wasn’t emotionally stable enough to get there without hitting someone accidentally.

Sousuke flipped the switch turning on the annoying sirens and flashing lights attached to the roof of their patrol car and floored the petal. Squealing tires protested his immediate need to move, but obliged once they found enough traction on the pavement. Rin watched as his partner lifted his phone to his ear. His conversation didn’t fully process in Rin’s mind. He heard the words ambulance, possible casualties, and unsure count of survivors and was finished.

_Just because you love him doesn’t mean he belongs to you._

Rin threw his fist against the dash slightly surprised he didn’t cause the airbag to deploy. The killer’s words echoed in his head, his laugh never ceasing. As it slowly consumed him, he wondered what they missed along the way. What if Haru knew all along this was going to happen? They still lacked a solid lead on a suspect and never made it close enough to The Fine Diner during past encounters to know where the interworking of his operation lied. If they didn’t make it in time, twenty four hours might not be long enough.

Rin shook his head in desperation, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. They had to. He made a promise. Sousuke made a hard left, dodging traffic as they went. They did their best to get out of his way, but even then, it ate at their rapidly diminishing time. He kept glancing in the rearview mirror, probably checking on Seijuro who currently tailed them. Did he call for backup? Did anyone?

_I promise he’ll be alive until then…physically at least._

He gripped at his chest unable to breath. His tears spilled over, rolling freely down his ashen skin. He’d seen the bodies. He’d seen the aftermath of remains lying in the Diner’s wake. And now he had Haru. The picture of his cold, disfigured body lying on the ground filled his mind. Throwing a hand over his mouth, he physically held back the vomit and subsequently crippled the scream crawling up his windpipe. This situation was incapacitating. He couldn’t function like this yet alone solve the case.

“We’re almost there,” Sousuke’s voice cut through the fog.

Almost there wasn’t good enough. He needed to be there five minutes ago when they received the phone call. Was this what it was like that night he went home with Haru? Is this what his friends felt about his disappearance? He was aware of how utterly useless and responsible he was and for the suffering he put them through because of his nonsensical actions. No one should have to live like this, questioning if the very person someone loves the most will be alive long enough to see them again.

A lot could happen in twenty four hours. What kind of mental stress could he inflict? What kind of physical torture could he perform in that time? There was no telling if the Haru they would find after the time was nearly extinguished would even be the same Haru.

“Hurry…please,” Rin gasped, doubling over in the seat, begging for this to be a nightmare. If he would just wake up wrapped in Haru’s comforting embrace. Rin choked. He couldn’t breathe, his heart was racing faster than it should, and he felt the vomit threaten again.

“ _Christ_ ,” Sousuke breathed, stopping the car at once.

Rin chanced a glimpse. Pulling himself upright, his eyes fell on the front of the aquarium. Blood-tinged water was pouring out of the broken glass doors. He didn’t realize how quickly he moved. Exiting the car at unusual speeds, his legs carried him forward. Sousuke called after him, pleading his partner to stop. The words never quite reached his ears.

He slipped through the shattered door, slicing his shoulder on the broken glass still clinging to the metal frame. His feet slopped through the tainted water. The entire lobby was filled with a thin layer of the crimson tinted liquid. It barely processed in his mind as he ran forward. Hurdling over the nearest turnstile, he pressed ahead. Sousuke’s yells were a distant memory.

He was quick to make it to the first exhibit hall, his pace unwavering on the moist carpet. He could get the killer’s words out of his head. What kind of sick fuck would do this? He sent his sister and mother away when they took the case on. He hadn’t seen them in the five years they searched for answers. Even when his choice of victim changed, he urged them to stay. It was too dangerous. Something could happen. Why didn’t he do the same for Haru? Why did he feel the need to push him away? Why couldn’t he have just forced him into the department’s protection?

He reached the second exhibit hall and maneuvered his way through the small maze of built in tanks. Beside the obvious reddish water covering the floor, everything seemed ordinarily untouched. It was too quiet. Before he even reached the main tank, he knew.

Passing over the threshold, Rin froze in his tracks. The bloodied water began soaking into his pants, dirtying his socks and wetting his skin. His eyes scanned the room, his body reverting into shock. Sopping footfalls slowly reached his ears as Sousuke finally caught up. He pulled the gun from his holster, but couldn’t peel his eyes away from the tank in front of them.

Ultimately, that was where Rin’s remained. A gaping hole in the glass allowed most the saltwater on one half of the exhibit to drain causing the massive amount of fluid seeping out of the aquarium. Only a foot or two of liquid lingered. Most of the fish swam in the shallow water or in the other side of the tunneled walkway, but some had eventually succumbed to the current and were pulled from their home. At last, Sousuke shifted, running to the nearest body. He placed a hand against Aiichiro’s neck. Rin watched, panic spiking through his being when it finally dawned on him his friends were still here. They never came to relieve them of their post. Momo’s limp body was nearby. Gravitating toward it, he mimicked Sousuke’s pulse check. It was slow, but there was a beat.

“Is Ai– ” Rin couldn’t say the words. He placed the back of his palm against his lips holding back the imminent tears.

“He’s alive. Possibly drugged, but I think he’ll pull through. And Momo?”

Rin nodded, taking another look around. There was no sign of movement from any of the bodies lying about. He counted at least four others, one still within the tank’s walls. No, make that five. One was hanging from the very rock formation he and Haru were sitting on top of earlier that day. His neck was tangled in a net that mostly likely caught his body when the water suddenly drained from the exhibit. He was unmoving too.

More sloppy footsteps filled the overly silent air. Seijuro joined his two men followed quickly by a platoon of officers and medical staff. Once they secured the space, they were quickly going about their business. Checking each body for a pulse before moving on to the next, their work was efficient. Ai and Momo were loaded onto stretchers and rushed back out of the aquarium where the ambulances were. Out of all of the bodies lying about, they were the only two who still clung to life.

“Please be careful not to tamper with anything. There could be a lot of evidence hanging about!” Seijuro’s strong voice filled the space. Rin quietly watched the men work feeling outright helpless. His eyes kept gravitating toward the hole in the glass. He watched one of the forensic officers pull a large chunk of flesh off one of the broken edges before placing it into an evidence bag. Swearing he saw a sparkle of blue within the bloody mess, the feeling of instant sickness besieged him once more.

“Rin,” Seijuro called to him.

He turned slowly unsure if he even wanted to know what his boss was about to say. His face was stern. This wasn’t his first crime scene, but it was certainly the freshest. Never had they found corpses that weren’t selected victims, and never did the come upon a crime scene where things hadn’t been tampered with. When he didn’t say anything else, Rin slowly approached.

“Is this Haru’s?” he asked, pointing to the ground. Underneath the dirty water was a blue phone, obviously crushed under a heel of someone’s boot. Rin put a hand to his mouth and painfully nodded. It may be smashed, but he could recognize that phone anywhere. Seijuro snapped his fingers, calling over one of the forensic officers. They quickly tagged the evidence before going back to work.

His voice softened a bit. “Do you need to sit down?”

The immediate answer was yes, but he found himself shaking his head in protest. Regardless of his usefulness in the situation, Rin felt he needed to stay. Maybe Haru was still here, hiding behind one of the other rocks. It was doubtful to say the least. He was just commending The Fine Diner on his skillful work in leaving behind minimal evidence, there wasn’t a good reason he would call the department if he didn’t have his prey secured prior.

“Maybe you should go back to the car,” the Chief urged, placing a hand on Rin’s shoulder. He could tell how much stress this was causing. “This is all a little too much to handle at the given moment.”

“I can’t,” Rin finally spat, tears forming in his eyes again. “I won’t. I promised him I would be here for him…I _promised_.”

Seijuro sighed, knowing he would waste his breath if he tried to talk Rin out of it. “How about you check to see if there is anything on the security cameras?”

“Already done, sir.” Sousuke advanced toward his two partners. His lips formed a thin line and his eyebrows were creased. He handed Seijuro a flash drive. “Goro was found unconscious nearby. He’s being taken to the same Hospital they sent Momo and Ai. When he wakes, I’m sure he’ll have some answers. On another note, the cameras were left on the whole time, but the alarm system was strategically turned off. It was set off, probably when they broke through the front doors, but never contacted the local police. I’m sure there’s a wire cut, but no one has found it yet. It doesn’t add up, so I’m sure the feed was left that way on purpose.”

“So we could see exactly what sort of disaster happened,” Seijuro concurred, putting a hand to his chin. “We should get back to the department and start looking at this immediately. Maybe it has some of our answers.”

“Doubtful. With the amount of time it would take us to get here, he would’ve had plenty of time to corrupt the files if it would show any fulfilling answers. He wanted us to see how worthless we really are.”

Rin’s hands tightened into fists. He had a horrible feeling it was left specifically for him. If he watched this video footage, he would be riled up to the max. Whatever it had to show would not settle well. The Fine Diner was toying with them, and enjoying every ounce of it. If they didn’t catch him soon, he would be right back on the streets committing more horrendous murders, eating more family members.

And yet, they were still missing a major piece. Rin’s fingerprint wasn’t placed on Haru’s scale for the hell of it. It was very unlike the Diner to go out of his way impulsively. But what could it be?

“Let’s go, Rin,” Sousuke commanded, nudging him on the shoulder. “We don’t have that much time left. If the idiot was as smart as he thought he was, maybe he would’ve remembered to delete the footage of his getaway car driving away.”

“Sousuke?” the Chief inquired, picking up his pace as they maneuvered their way back through the tainted water toward the exit.

With a smile, he continued, “I may have gotten a little sneak peak as they transferred the files to my flash drive. It was only the end, but I saw their van peel out of the parking lot. It even shows a legible license plate.”

Seijuro slapped him on the back voicing his excitement. It was a small victory. They could use the traffic cameras around town to pinpoint where it was heading. Even if they avoided them all, they could still use that information and put all patrolling officers on high alert. However long it would take, it was a solid start to their search. Rin felt his body relax slightly. They weren’t following a ghost. And maybe, just maybe, this was another fatal mistake.

All three officers clambered into their designated vehicles before quickly speeding back to the office. The dread Rin was feeling about watching the footage wasn’t nearly as heavy as when he thought about what their killer could be doing to Haru. This would provide a slight distraction. Trying to inhale a calming breath, he called out to Haru. If by some miracle he could hear thoughts at least he would know Rin wasn’t about to give up on him, no one was.

_Just hold out a little longer. I’m coming for you._


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning! Blood/violence/gore/small amount of cannibalism. Pretty chill compared to what's coming.  
> Please be advised if/as you continue.
> 
>  
> 
> Long chapter this time!! It's a slight change from the rest of the chapters, and I'm sure you'll notice rather quickly as to why I'm saying this. :) Please enjoy!

Haru lied on his back against the cool rock after Rin left his side. His hands were crossed behind his head, eyes closed. The very tip of his fin dipped into the salty water to prevent his transformation. He lied there motionless as he heard the crowds welcomed back in until the stillness returned when they left. Stiffness settled in his bones as he began to wonder what would lie ahead. Rin couldn’t know, he would never be allowed to know. There wasn’t a way to prevent the inevitable, and getting him involved would only get him hurt. It was only a matter of time before he made his move. It was easier this way.

Taking in a calming breath, he listened to Rin’s friends talk about a video game that had recently been released. For the life of him he couldn’t remember their names. The red headed one seemed overly excitable about it, while the smaller built, gray haired one seemed more technically advanced in his game play. He was currently scolding the obnoxious officer about how to defeat the boss on one of the more difficult levels. He didn’t feel safe with them watching his back. And though he had no room to complain about their police work, the only one he felt protected around was Rin.

His chest tightened with the thought of him. His beautiful red eyes, the way he upturned his lips into that ridiculously goofy smile, and even the way he felt against his skin. It was a never ending craving of his body, of his lips, of his dick. Their relationship was so much more than a physical need though. As much as he desired Rin, he wanted to know so much more about him. And when he had said those words earlier, about spending his future with him, it crushed his soul. Three long years he waited for a simple acknowledgment, and now that he had his heart, he felt he needed to give it back. He would never take it, and Haru knew this. Regardless of the situation, the seriousness of his life being in danger, Rin would never turn his back on him.

Haru shifted, pulling his hands from under his head. He reached them to the ceiling of the aquarium outstretching his fingertips allowing the blood to circulate through the numbness. Slowly he lowered them, tightening them around his throat. The intense suffocating feeling he was already undergoing wasn’t quelled with the physical act. They dropped dejectedly to his sides. Someone had their hand around his heart and was slowly squeezing the life from it.

His friends were dead. He didn’t even know they were back in town. It was a mistake running to try and save his life when he felt the drug enter his system. Figuring he had seconds before he came to retrieve him, Haru made his choice. It was only a natural response from him, killing two of his closest friends. He was letting everyone know how defenseless they were. How he really had devoted followers everywhere. No one was safe. Rin was right. He wasn’t ready to give up on his life, but he had to. To save Rin’s life Haru needed to.

He peeled himself off of the rock face feeling every pull of his muscles. Supporting his body with his arms, he watched the other fish swim around the tank’s water. He hadn’t fully recovered from yesterday. Being too afraid to eat anything else due to the possible tampering or spiking of his meals again, his body was weak. His stomach was upset, his mind a blur, but Haru felt he could fend off an attack better this way. Closing his eyes tight, he reminded himself to just let them take him. There was no use fighting back, but his mind wasn’t easy to convince. Rin would never be able to keep his promise. Haru felt shameful even asking if he would be here when he needed him. The guilt he was already causing Rin was insufferable. He could see it on his face even when he was trying to hide it. This wasn’t what he wanted out of a relationship with him. It felt wrong, and it needed to end.

His hands fell to his lap, his bluish green scales reflecting into his face. That tail of his, his cursed half human body only caused him suffering and grief. At first he resented his parents for bringing him into this world like this. But after the years passed with their absence in his life, he realized how much of that was his own doing. Maybe he deserved this ending after all. His blue eyes scanned the top of the water. It had gotten quiet. His body tensed. The two officer’s conversation had dulled into background noise. But now there was nothing.

Then it hit him, the quiet sound of wrestling. Haru’s heart rate accelerated as he launched himself into the water. Maybe it would be okay to fight back. It wasn’t just his life at stake. Rin would be devastated if his friends were to die along with him. Scooping up a head sized boulder from the bottom of the tank, he quickly swam for the surface. Hoping his aim wouldn’t have to be perfect, but just accurate enough to scare them, he launched himself out of the water throwing the rock over the dive entrance of the exhibit. It arched nicely, crashing down between the two officers and the two masked assailants attempting to chloroform them. Not waiting to see if it worked, Haru hit the water and immediately went to fetch another one. He could feel the strain on his body already as he hoisted the second rock over the glass edge. This time he watched as it crashed directly onto one of the men’s head. The other, who had refused to let go of the red head officer, panicked and ran to his unconscious friend’s side. Both police officers were down, and Haru hoped they were still alive.

There would be no good way to check. He knew he had to get the police here for their safety. Picking up one last rock to hit the last conscious man on the other side of the glass, he felt something whizz past his hip. He watched a spear imbed itself into the smaller rocks that made up the exhibit floor. It was inches from digging into his body. Turning toward the source, he saw a diver with a speargun using his abdomen to load another long lance. Haru dropped the rock immediately, swimming head on toward the diver. He thought his simple charge would panic him, but he quickly had his speargun loaded and pointed straight at his chest.

Using the ground as leverage, Haru pushed himself upward, barely dodging the incoming spear. His heart was racing as he looked around for more divers. Instead, his eyes fell on more masked men outside of the glass swarming from the second exhibit. They began forming a circle around the glass, filling the tunnel that passed through the tank. Most had large machine guns and the sight was unsettling. He tried to count, but lost track after ten. This wasn’t the time to freeze up due to fear. He had a job to complete. Rin’s coworkers depended on him. Without hesitation, he swam up to his entrance hoping his men hadn’t reached that point yet. All he needed to do was text Rin; maybe even get a phone call to go through. He would know to come straight away. It went against all of the threats he’d received over the last few days, but maybe he could tell Rin just who this man was.

He broke the surface and drug himself mostly out of the water desperately reaching for his phone. It sat on the concrete floor not far from the water’s edge exactly where he left it. He didn’t see anyone inside the room yet, but that didn’t mean they weren’t on their way up the stairs. Snagging his blue device, he unlocked it and began to furiously text Rin. Before he could hit send, a foot appeared before him, kicking his phone from his grip. It skidded across the floor well out of reach. Haru remained still, his breathing heavy and his senses on high alert.

“I thought I told you not to call for help,” his voice cooed sending shivers down his spine. He refused to turn and look. He had told him not to, but maybe if he went with him, Rin would be safe.

His laugh froze his blood as a finger traced up his back. Haru’s body tensed, rejecting the feeling. He pushed his chest against the concrete trying to make himself as thin as possible to escape his touch.

His finger lifted off of his skin, as he walked in front of Haru. His hooded sweatshirt was loosely hanging off of his shoulders and a mask was tilted off the side of his head. There were no cameras in this room so the need to hide his identity was futile. Crossing his arms over his chest, he cocked his head to the side and smiled, “You’re just too adorable when you’re guilty.”

Haru matched his cold stare, eyebrows sinking into an aggravated expression. He wasn’t sure what to say, but he wasn’t about to give him the pleasure of a conversation.

“Oh, don’t give me that look, Haru,” he pouted, crossing the room to pick up Haru’s phone. He stared at the screen for a few seconds longer than he should before breathing heavily out of his nose. “Well I’ll be damned…”

Haru watched carefully, noting the pistol hanging from his hip. He was known to be impulsive at times, shooting his coalition for the slightest misstep. If he moved, he might be targeted, but being this far out of the water he felt incredibly insecure and nearly trapped. He wanted to see what the diver was doing. If he were coming up the rear, maybe he wouldn’t have a choice but to transform back leaving him even more defenseless. Haru was almost positive that was exactly what he wanted.

A strange laugh resonated from the back of his throat. It echoed off of the walls causing all of Haru’s hair to stand up on end. His body was screaming at him to move, to do anything to get away from that monster standing before him. But he remained where he was, scraped up elbows digging into the floor, body flat against the cold concrete, his blue eyes never leaving him.

“Well this is an interesting hiccup in my plan,” he continued, pocketing Haru’s phone and rotating to face him again. “But don’t think you won’t be punish for what you just sent.”

Haru’s body minutely relaxed. His finger must have brushed against the send button as he kicked the phone from his hands. There wasn’t anything else he could do now except get back into the water and pull the emergency lever on the wall near the dive entrance. That would alert the cops if his words were too jumbled to read, which he figured it would be due to the circumstances.

He must’ve caught the slight movement of his body, because his hand rested on his holstered gun. Haru refused to peel his eyes away from his movements, deathly afraid his life would end here before he could get help for Rin’s friends.

He clicked his tongue as a smile emerged on his lips. “Like what you see?” he asked, tilting his hip so Haru could get a better look at his weapon. “It hurts having a bullet rip through your body. There isn’t a sound in existence that gets my blood pumping like ripping flesh. But I wouldn’t worry if I were you. This one is for your friends if they try to rescue you, which I’m sure they’ll be on their way soon. If you want Rin’s life to continue, I recommend you pull yourself out of that water.” His voice was laced with poison. It wasn’t a threat per se, but more like a demand where people started dying if he refused.

Haru remained still, debating his options. He could get out of the water and ultimately go with him, or get back in and alert the cops of his arrival and the imminent deaths of Rin’s friends. The second option would lead to more complications, but did they outweigh the good of his actions?

_Fight for you life because one measly minute could save it._

Rin was right. He didn’t want to die, not like this.

“Forget it.” Haru forcefully pushed himself off of the concrete, scraping the soft skin of his abdomen as he attempted to shimmy his way back into the water. Eyes wide, he was taken aback with Haru’s words, but recovered quickly by slamming his fist into the button that closed the door to the entrance. Haru barely pulled his arm through the opening before the metal door closed tightly above him. There was no going back now. Making a beeline straight for the emergency lever, he pushed the diver out of the way. His body was shaking and his heart rate refused to slow, but if he could just alert the cops he would feel more satisfied with his choice. Breaking for air, he pulled himself out of the water using the glass edge. His fingers curled around the lever before yanking it down. Losing his grip, he fell back into the water. Haru slowly broke the surface again, his stomach dropping. Where were the alarms and the flashing lights?

He could hear his laugh resonating around the room. Of course he would disconnect the alarm system. All of his affiliates had managed to get in the building and most likely came through the front door judging by their entrance method from earlier. If he had feet, he would’ve kicked himself. There had to be another way. Haru chewed at the inside of his lip. No, only the text he managed to send to Rin could help them now. He hoped he got the point across in his words, regardless of how muddled they may be.

Feeling the need to fight back as long as possible to make sure of their survival, Haru dropped his head under the water and squared himself up with the diver. This time he had two more accompanying him. One diver had an interesting looking device Haru never laid eyes on. Even with the multitude of trips into the ocean and how many nets and traps he avoided, this was highly unusual. The last thing he wanted was that diver to launch whatever was hiding within that overly large barrel. Making the first move, he felt one of the two spears graze his side. The other missed completely, imbedding itself into the side of the aquarium. Haru swam full force into the third diver partially knocking the strange gun from his hand. They didn’t seem phased by his head on attacks. That thought didn’t settle well.

Without looking at the damage the first spear caused, Haru rounded the massive rock formation to gather more speed for a second head on attack. Another diver was waiting for him there, catching him completely off guard. He didn’t dodge quickly enough as a spear pierced through his shoulder, jamming into the rock. He was pinned against it like a trapped animal. All of his attempts of escape were futile, pain shooting through his body with every jostle. Before he knew it, the other three divers were rounding the corner. The third pointed the large weapon straight at him. When he pulled the trigger, a massive speared net shot out of the barrel, the metal hooks on the four corners digging into the same rock restraining him even more. Fright enveloped his body, numbing Haru to his core. He could hear his voice through the tank’s walls congratulating his men on a job well done.

This was it. He was going to be taken whether he wanted to or not. The more that thought crossed his mind, the more he felt like he needed to keep fighting. Haru wanted a future with Rin, but he wanted them both to be alive and well. Maneuvering his hands through the hole in the net, he began frantically trying to pull the spear from his shoulder. With a few heaves it still refused to break free from the rock. The divers were closing in. His panic elevated. Whether it was the adrenalin coursing through his veins or his body overpowering the fear, with one last tug, he pulled the lance from the rock subsequently ripping it back through his shoulder. Blood tainted the water immediately as Haru desperately tried to find a weakness in the net. Dragging his body against the rocks, he shimmied his way through a gap, slicing open his entire side before fleeing to the far corner of the exhibit. Finding a small cave to squeeze into for safety, Haru buried his head in his arms trying to calm his rapid heart. All of his wounds stung in the salty water. Blood was seeping from every gash, dirtying the clearish liquid of the tank, burning his gills.

It wouldn’t be long before the divers would make another attempt at seizing him. However frantic, he needed to remain calm in hopes Rin was on his way. His first undertaking would be disabling the divers. Without them, he would be safe until he altered his plan. Granted, there was probably a second phase to it. He was always well equipped when claiming his prey.

Taking in oxygen through his gills, he attempted to lower his heart rate and focus on thinking through his actions before continuing. The pain from his gashes and the massive hole in his shoulder dulled his mind. However, he was sure he’d seen a knife on the divers cleaning his tank before. The enclosure was shallow enough, he could cut their oxygen lines or rip off their masks and they would be forced to return to the surface. Deciding that it would have to do, Haru rotated his way back through the entrance of the cave. Spotting the divers crossing over the tunnel, he made his move. Swimming as fast as he could, he dodged another spear before grabbing onto the diver with the net gun and pulling him back toward the rock formation. He shoved him against the structure before ripping his mask from his face. Taking hold of the knife conveniently settled in a pocket on the side of his thigh, Haru sliced through both oxygen lines before tossing his mask to the bottom of the tank. Without hesitation, he tangled him up in the net he used to confine him.

When Haru felt satisfied with his work, he turned to the next diver. The other three were kicking their way through the water toward him, guns raised but hesitant to shoot with their man close by. Giving them his most menacing look, Haru took off after one. Just as before, he didn’t seem too worried about a head on attack until the blade of the knife sliced through the next set of lines. He could hear yelling on the dry side of the exhibit but was too preoccupied swimming down the next diver to hear. That was until a horrendously loud, multitude of booms shook the very water he was swimming in. Freezing in his tracks, Haru pinpointed the origin. He quickly realized that one of his men had his automatic machine gun aimed at the glass, sweeping his firearm across the entirety of the tank blowing holes everywhere.

In horror, Haru watched the two remaining divers get hit by a few of his stray bullets. More blood oozed into the water. Panicked, he swam hard but wasn’t sure which direction to go. Then it hit him, cutting through his flesh like a knife to butter. The pain was excruciating, completely taking over his mind and body. He didn’t realize he grabbed at his fishtail, or the few of his scales floating to the bottom of the tank. But what his mind remembered was the enormous amount of blood seeping through his fingers. He could feel his heartbeat pounding his head causing dizziness. Loud voices slammed into his eardrums as his man was shot at point-blank range with his own gun pried from his fingers. Their eyes met again. The intensity behind them was palpable. He was irate. Using the same gun, he fired more rounds in a localized place in the glass, bashing through the last of the supports causing all of the water on this half of the tank to drain rapidly. Haru could feel the current pulling him, but he couldn’t move his fishtail. Instead, he applied pressure to his gaping gunshot wound. Sinking in the water, he grabbed a rock with his free hand and held on to dear life as the remaining water drained. That is, all but the last foot.

Once seated firmly on the exhibit’s bottom, Haru gripped both hands at his fishtail holding back the scream about to explode through his windpipe. Blood was everywhere. If he didn’t know any better, he felt more people had died. The diver that he tangled in the net was thrashing for air. When the water drained, his neck caught in the rope. He heard him say just leave him there as he stepped toward Haru.

Their eyes met again as he sized him up. More of his men crowded the tank, their booted feet splashing in the water to reach Haru. All guns were pointed directly at him. It was intimidating to say the least, but he knew they wouldn’t fire. It was never his intention to have Haru shot or killed. A dead body was worthless to him. He reached his gloved hand forward, gripping Haru’s cheeks in a death hold.

“Do you see what happens when you try and run from me?” his voice was icy and lifeless. Using his free hand, he swatted Haru’s arms away and quickly dug his finger into the bullet hole. A scream ripped through the air. Just as quickly as he advanced, his finger was removed from the wound. Making an obvious point of sticking his now bloodied appendage into his mouth, he released Haru’s head and waived his free finger in the air signaling it was time to wrap this up. Popping his hand out of his mouth he licked his lips. A chuckle reverberated around the now empty space.

Someone tackled Haru to the ground, tying his hands behind his back. The pain was still consuming his core making it nearly impossible to fight back. They heaved him out of the water, his painful transformation beginning to occur. More screams echoed throughout the room. They hauled him through the aquarium to the front door. At some point someone threw a towel over his naked body. He was so numb, it didn’t even compute. Haphazardly, they tossed him into the back of the white van. Its engine idled creating a hum in the air as it waited for someone to hop in the drivers seat. Haru jolted as his face appeared in his line of sight.

Bending in close, he ran his hand through Haru’s dampened hair, pushing it out of his eyes. “You belong to me now. No one is coming for you. No one will take you away from me.” He tapped the end of Haru’s nose before leaving the back of the van. In the distance he could hear him calling out to his members, “I need to make a quick phone call, wait for me here.”

More men clambered into the van as the doors sealed him into the mechanical prison. He wondered if this was the last time he would ever see the night sky again. Rin never did make it. But maybe, just maybe, it was for the best. He closed his eyes finding the coolness to the floor a calming apparatus. It seemed to clear his head as painful tears welled in his eyes. They slid across his skin to meet the moisture in his hair. Soon after, he heard the passenger door open and close. The van lurched below him, taking off in the night.

_I’m sorry, Rin…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How's that for some Haru POV??? That's why the chapter was long (and less conversational). But I thought it would be nice for you to understand what exactly happened to Haru while Rin was away.  
> Yes, this was a step back in the timeline. Yes, it served a purpose. :)
> 
> See you guys at the end of the week for the next chapter!!
> 
> If you can wait that long. >:D


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter's here! Enjoy. :) No warnings this time. They'll hit heavy on the next few chapters so prepare yourself.

The video that was given to Sousuke came to a rather abrupt end. The black screen taunted them as the three officers sat quietly. No one moved to turn off the TV, and no one volunteered to open his mouth first. The footage was incredibly gruesome. Kisumi didn’t cut any corners buying the security camera system. Watching it in HD was incredibly unnerving. It was fairly obvious what happened and it was a miracle the killer didn’t make a further move to terminate the lives of Momo and Ai. Maybe it was out of sheer luck or lack of time but he didn’t even note their presence.

Seijuro sighed, dragging his hands down his thighs. He bent over in his chair to stretch his sore muscles. Running a hand through his greasy hair he slowly corrected his posture. It was incredibly hard to watch on all ends. Haru was desperately trying to survive after saving the younger officers.

“Without him, they would be dead,” the Chief finally spoke. His voice was quiet. It echoed through the department giving them all a reminder of how terribly alone they were. “My brother would’ve been…” he choked back a sob.

Sousuke placed a hand on his shoulder feeling the immense stress weighing down on everyone. His tears surprised Rin. After all, he figured he would be the biggest mess after watching the footage. Somehow he felt an eerie sort of calm. The last few hours short-circuited all of his emotions leaving him a blank slate, a sensation he could only describe as a rebooted robot. He processed everything that happened in the video while hearing Seijuro’s breakdown but nothing seemed to faze him.

Sousuke glanced over his shoulder to get a better view of his partner. He caught on to the strange silence emitting from him. Rin figured he was just as surprised as he was of the absence of his emotions.

“Maybe it would be best to call it a night,” he suggested, rubbing Seijuro’s back in an attempt to calm his hiccups.

The Chief nodded, unable to open his mouth without another wail exiting his lips. Rin’s red eyes fell to the floor. Now more than ever he felt he needed to be following Haru’s trail. He felt miserably lost without the slightest hint of where to start. His fingerprint on the blue scale, the lack of tampering with the security footage, and even the killer acting on a whim to spare the lives of his comrades clawed at his brain. Nothing was adding up, but he knew they were all very important pieces of information.

Once Seijuro and Sousuke moved to leave, he walked away from their office space and continued into the night. Not once had a case caused this much anguish. Yes, some of the murders and disappearances were difficult to work through, and yes, breaking the news that someone’s family member died was unbearable. But with the time ticking away in the back of his head, suddenly the pressure was on. Everyone was at their wits end. Exhaustion and grief clouded their minds. Even now, Rin couldn’t think of one helpful piece of knowledge to save Haru. And without realizing it, he walked to Haru’s home instead of his apartment. He stared at the darkened house unmoving for a few minutes before digging his hand into the pocket of his pants. Smiling when his fingers brushed against the cold metal of his house key, Rin proceeded.

The atmosphere he walked into greeted him like an old friend, but even now he felt something was missing. Ambling through the hall, he absentmindedly passed the picture from Haru’s high school days. His heart ached with the loss of the merman’s friends and how he wanted to tell Haru he met them. The chance had slipped through his fingers. They were an odd couple, but dynamic. He didn’t have a doubt in his mind they were a perfect match. He could only hope his own relationship mimicked theirs. Without a second though, he began pulling his clothes off of his body once he reached the bathroom. He turned on the shower, and as soon as the stream was warm enough for his standards, he stood under the current. The cut on his shoulder burned in protest giving him a constant reminder that Haru was still waiting for him.

Not too long ago Haru had bombarded him in the confined space. It was then he offered his own heart to him. Placing his hands against the tiled wall, he remembered the conversation. His phone exploding with notifications rudely interrupted it, and that was when it all started going downhill. Rin wished he would’ve had the time to do it differently knowing the current outcome. Regardless, he felt cheated out of a future with Haru and that alone boiled his blood.

Shutting off the water, he stepped out onto the cool tiled floor. Randomly reaching his hand around in the dark feeling for a towel, he quickly patted himself dry, cleaned and dressed his wound, all before gathering his clothes and trudging to Haru’s bedroom. Without turning on the lights, he dropped the handful of linens at his feet and tossed his towel callously to the corner of the room. He threw his naked body onto Haru’s bed as his suppressed feelings began clawing to the surface. If he could only see him alive once more, it would be enough for now. As the tears spilled over, his body gave in to the numbness that was spreading.

 

“ _Haru?! I haven’t seen him in ages!” echoed Nagisa’s high-pitched voice._

_“Have you seen him? I know he said he was moving back here the last I talked to him, but it’s been a long time since then,” followed Rei’s excited tone._

 

Rin’s eyes shot open. His phone was frantically buzzing in the pants heaped on the floor. Half asleep, he clambered out of the tangle of sheets and dug for his phone. The screen burned at his swollen eyes but once he saw Sousuke’s name through the brightness, he answered.

“Hello?” his voice sounded like his drunken grandpa.

_“Hey, Rin. Sorry to bother you. I was about to go to bed but the hospital called. While Ai and Momo are stable, they’re still unconscious. But Goro is awake. They have to hold him until the rest of his tests are run. A guard is stationed outside of his room. Anyway,”_ Sousuke paused, a yawning noise filling the silence, _“did you want to head over there in an hour or so? I just want to get a little shut eye before then.”_

“I think I’ll head there straight away,” Rin yawned back, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes. His dream, or memory really, had him restless. “As soon as you’ve slept enough, you can meet me there.”

_“Oh, and they found the severed alarm wire. It was in the ceiling somewhere off the main tank and whoever cut it covered it up really well,”_ came his fading voice.

Rin breathed out a smile, knowing Sousuke was a few seconds from falling asleep. “I’ll make sure to ask him about it.” When he didn’t respond, he ended the call and started throwing on clean clothes out of Haru’s closet. That was an interesting bit of information. Why would someone feel the need to hide the disabled alarm but leave the security footage alone? Sousuke could be asleep for a very long time. Going through college with him as a roommate put his love of sleep into perspective. It was up to Rin to find the answers.

However, Nagisa and Rei’s voices repeated in his head. He knew he heard them say those things when he met them at the morgue. The feeling that followed ripped at his stomach. Their choice of words was bothering him. Something wasn’t right. Making sure he had cleared out all of his belongings from his dirty pair of pants, he rushed out the door and went straight for the hospital.

It only took him a few minutes to run there. The clock above the receptionist desk read 5:05. Surprisingly, the building was rather quiet for the early hour. Yet, the sickening feeling tightened in Rin’s stomach. It had been a little over six hours since the killer made contact. He couldn’t help but wonder what he was doing to Haru.

After a brief conversation with the gentleman manning the desk, he was on his way up to Goro’s room. Nodding a silent hello to the officer on duty, he stepped through the threshold and strolled to his bedside. His brown eyes were trailed out the window. The sun wouldn’t rise for another hour or so, but he patiently watched the sky slowly brighten with a new day.

Rin cleared his throat, announcing his arrival. Goro turned his head toward him, his eyes glazed over lost in thought. At that moment, Rin was sure the guard outside his room had informed him of what exactly happened to his aquarium. Thousands of dollars worth of damage and all it took was an hour and a few guns.

“Oh, hi, Rin,” he said, rubbing the back of his hand against his eyelids. He sighed, sitting up straight. “Come on in.”

“Sorry for the early visit,” Rin began taking a seat at his bedside. He smiled knowing Sousuke was doing the same for him after his plunge into the ocean days ago. The leather seat was as uncomfortable as it looked.

“I’m sure you have a lot of questions,” he answered. His eyes drifted out the window again. “My legacy is ruined, and yet, here you are thinking I’m the guilty one.”

Rin’s eyes widened with shock. How was he supposed to explain to him that he trusted Haru and Makoto’s judgment as their coach, yet alone Seijuro’s interrogation skill set? Granted, Makoto did mention something about Haru’s secret being exposed due to a training camp at the beach that Goro probably organized. He shook his head, forgetting the thought immediately. “Look, I’m just as confused as you are. I came here looking for answers, not pinning the blame on someone innocent. For one, did you see anything before they attacked you?”

“No,” Goro answered honestly, surprised by Rin’s words. “Before I knew it, I woke up here. It was a complete surprise. I had gone back to the aquarium after my visit to the department. I still had to close for the day. I gave Kisumi the time off for all of his hard work this week so someone had to do it. Anyway, they came up from behind. I was completely caught off guard.”

Rin continued his interrogation. “I was told that the alarm system was severed somewhere inconspicuous. For whatever reason, the person who cut the wire made sure to cover up after himself. However, the security footage of that night was completely untouched. It is to my understanding that you and Kisumi would have the biggest grasp of knowledge on that particular part of the aquarium. Can you explain that?”

Goro put a hand to his goatee. His eyebrows furrowed as he pondered what Rin had to say. “I don’t understand. Someone severed the alarm?”

“Yes. The front of your aquarium is busted to smithereens and the police were only informed of this when we received a phone call well after the fact.”

“Only Kisumi knows that information. He installed it himself soon after I hired him.”

Rin’s blood froze. “Wait…say that again.”

“Only Kisumi knows– ”

“Kisumi…” His blood was pounding through his veins. Inadvertently, he found the puzzle piece. Haru may have been trying to warn him after all. “His name sure sounds a lot like kiss me.”

Goro cocked his head out of confusion, “I guess?”

“When did you hire him?”

“Five years ago if my memory serves well,” he said with a smile.

Jumping to his feet, Rin pulled his phone out of his pocket and quickly dialed Sousuke’s number. Before he even picked up, he added Seijuro the call. Busting ass out of the hospital room, Rin ran back through the sterile hallways until his lungs hit the crisp morning air.

_“Rin?”_ Seijuro was the first to answer.

_“Seijuro?”_ Sousuke mumbled, still half asleep.

“Kisumi,” Rin breathed, his name felt like poison leaving his lips. He didn’t wait for their response before diving into his most recent discovery. “Listen to me and listen to me closely. I just left the hospital. I talked to Goro and he said Kisumi solitarily installed the security system when he was hired five years ago. He would have been the only one to know about that wire. That being said, he would easily be able to tamper with the footage but purposefully left it there to see if we could catch on to his little game.”

_“Slow down, Rin,”_ Seijuro warned. _“You’re talking too fast.”_

“Sorry,” he apologized before continuing anyway. “When we went to the morgue to look at the dead woman’s body, I was shocked to find Haru’s close friends working there. They had introduced themselves to us while including the simple fact that they were new to the job. I’m not sure why, but I found their later choice of words slightly disturbing. Nagisa and Rei had explicitly stated they hadn’t seen Haru in ages. As I’ve concluded here very recently, Haru’s friends left after high school to peruse their degrees at a college. They probably haven’t seen Haru in over seven years, and I’m fairy certain he never did get the chance to see them since their return. So, tell me, how could someone know Nagisa and Rei were close friends with Haru without knowing Haru personally?”

_“Rin, I can’t keep up. Slow down,”_ Sousuke complained.

“I can’t,” Rin pushed. His mouth was only trying to keep up with the thoughts whizzing through his brain. “You remember that text Haru sent me last night?”

_“Yes but– ”_

“Kisumi sure sounds a lot like kiss me, doesn’t it?”

Silence answered him as his two friends processed his words. He knew he was haphazardly explaining his deduction process, but to him Kisumi was the killer and that was all she wrote.

_“An autocorrect? Is that what you’re trying to tell me? All of this boils down to an autocorrect?!”_ Seijuro sounded livid but Rin was sure he understood the point he was trying to get across.

“Yes,” Rin breathed, rushing around another corner. He needed to get back to the department as quickly as possible. The only thing left he didn’t understand was why his fingerprint was found on Haru’s scale. “It all makes sense! I can explain it to you further. I’m on my way to the department now.”

While running down the sidewalk dodging pedestrians, his eye caught a white van in the midst of rush hour traffic driving in the opposite direction. It was jarringly similar to the van that took Haru away. Rin watched it quickly brake before turning down a side street. Choosing to take a different path, he ducked into the nearest alleyway without slowing his pace. His heart rate elevated even more as the adrenaline began kicking in. He could feel the heaviness of his pistol secured in the waist of his pants.

“Hey,” Rin pulled his coworkers’ attention back to him. “The only detail that’s eluded me is why my fingerprint is on that scale.” He reached the end of the alley to catch his breath and watched. Sure enough, the same van drove past going too slow for early morning traffic. He took off again, this time heading in a completely random direction.

_“Rin?”_ Sousuke’s voice called back, catching his strange tone and the sudden break in the conversation.

“I think there’s someone tailing me. And maybe that explains it.”

_“Where are you?”_ Seijuro warned, trying to pry more information out of him.

The red head turned down another street trying to focus his attention on locating the vehicle. “Maybe this was his plan all along. Haru and I…both of us.”

He could hear their outburst of protest as they suddenly realized what he was about to do. When they quieted enough to get a word in, all Rin could ask was one simple request. “Just stay muted on the line. You can track my phone to our location. I can fend him off until you can organize the Special Assault Team.”

_“Don’t do this,”_ Seijuro pleaded.

Rin turned the corner down a darkened alley. After finding a decent place to hide that was relatively safe from potential crossfire, he took in a calming breath. Sincerely he added, “I’m sorry.”

Without ending the call, he put his phone on speaker and pushed it into an inner pocket hoping Kisumi’s posse was dumber than they acted in the past. Sure enough, the white van stopped at the end of the alley completely blocking the path. Rin watched as men began piling out of the back. All of them had machine guns. He wondered if this was how Haru felt. Checking the other end of the lane, there were at least five more men barreling straight for him. Cocking his gun, he exhaled through his nose whispering, “Come and get me.” Aiming down one end of the alley, he tightened his finger around the trigger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Special Assault Team is actually the Japanese version of SWAT. So that's cool. :)
> 
> Finally some motherfucking answers! Woo!!! Cheers to all who've guessed right! And cheers to all of you who just realized how many small details and plot bunnies I've dropped along the way. There were quite a few! Now...
> 
> *horror music intensifies*
> 
> On to the end...see you next week! >:D


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Blood/violence/gore/small acts of cannibalism. 
> 
> ~  
> The next chapter is here early as a thank you. You guys fucking rock and deserve the world. Whether you've been here from the start or started following along rather recently, commenting or not, I appreciate you all very much. <3 AND YOU'RE ALL MAKING ME WANT TO WRITE A SEQUEL AND THAT'S NOT OKAY.
> 
> Now, hopefully I don't ruin some shit here because I might. Please don't hate me. ;.;

His knees slammed against the cold concrete after one of the men forcefully escorting him kicked him unforgivingly behind the joint. With a groan from the pain, Rin’s face was shoved into the ground. He was thankful they had placed a blackout bag over his head otherwise his cheek would’ve been completely cut up from the rough floor. Regardless, he felt something wet soaking through the darkened material. Manhandling him like a rag doll, the two men secured long shackles to his forearms that were welded jointly, forcing his arms to bend together uncomfortably behind his back. He heard the click of metal signaling they connected the chain to something behind him. Judging by the angle, Rin figured it was the floor.

Just as quickly as they brought him in, they pulled the bag from his head. The room where they secured him wasn’t overly lit but the sudden change of brightness made Rin squint. Everything was a blur as he attempted to blink away his hazy vision. He must’ve lifted his head too far off the ground because one of the two men shoved his face back against the concrete.

“Keep your nose on the ground,” his stern voice demanded without releasing his grip from Rin’s red hair.

This time it did split his cheek wide open. The liquid covering the floor tickled his skin before burning at his new wound. Another groan escaped his lips. His knees were already going numb.

“Relax. Everyone just relax.”

Rin’s blood froze. He recognized Kisumi’s suave voice immediately. Feeling all of his hair stick up on end, he realized his hunch was right. He was overjoyed beyond words that he could at least inform Seijuro and Sousuke of his identity before his men overpowered him. Even if this went south faster than he figured, someone knew who he was.

His memory was still obscure, but he managed to take out at least seven of Kisumi’s men while injuring a few more before one finally subdued him. If he didn’t run out of bullets he probably would’ve made it out unscathed. It wasn’t long after that they had his arms tied behind his back and was haphazardly thrown in the back of the van. Through the entire ordeal, he wondered if he would be able to see Haru alive again. They forced that black bag over his head to confuse his sense of direction. Attributing the lack of a pat down for more weapons solely on the fact that he ran out of ammunition, his phone was still secured inside the inside pocket of his jacket. He hoped he didn’t accidentally hang up during the scuffle.

The man released his grip from Rin’s hair, but he refused to lift his head from the floor out of fear. As soon as his eyes adjusted to the dim light, the first thing he saw was the excessive amount of red liquid his cheek was lying in. His heart was pounding in his ears. He didn’t want to look to see who the source of the blood was coming from.

“Please, if you don’t mind,” Kisumi cooed again. It was the same tone of voice he heard on the phone not too long ago. His hands tightened into fists as the sound of a metal door squeaking open and slamming shut overwhelmed his senses. His ears were still ringing when an alien touch slipped under his chin lifting his head. Before he realized it, his face was inches from Kisumi’s. His body froze unsure what to do. His purple eyes held no emotion, but the smile on his face was murderous. Tightening his grip, Kisumi leaned forward, licking off the warm blood from his cheek.

Retaliating at full force, Rin pulled himself from his hold falling back against the hard floor subsequently smashing his arms beneath him. Kisumi laughed. It set Rin on edge. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the evil in front of him. How he managed to slip completely under his radar was beyond him. It seemed so blatantly obvious now.

“Relax, Rin,” his poisonous words slipped out of his mouth too easily. Standing back to his full height he smiled coldly. “You’re my dessert. You at least have a few more hours to live.”

The thought sickened him. Without moving from his uncomfortable position, he watched Kisumi walk out of his direct line of sight. Rin’s attention was drawn to the figure shackled to the chair in the middle of the cement room. Rin thought his heart stopped. Haru sat facing him. His head hung low. Someone must’ve carelessly thrown a pair of sweatpants on him between the time they left the aquarium and now, but his torso was left bare. Rin could see the serious amount of damage he put his body through trying to escape. The left side of his ribs was covered in superficial gashes, a deep cut resonated above his right hip. Someone at least tried to bandage the serious shoulder injury. And there was the bullet wound. The blood on the floor that his face was pushed into earlier was seeping out of his poorly bandaged leg and the hole in his shoulder. The amount was substantial.

“ _Haru…_ ” he barely sputtered watching closely for any signs of breathing.

Kisumi chuckled. “As promised.” He forcefully grabbed a handful of his dark hair pulling his head all of the way back so it was facing the ceiling. Those purple eyes of his took in the full sight of Haru’s face, tightening Rin’s stomach to the point of him gasping for air. Haru groaned in protest but left his head in the same position even after Kisumi released his grip. “He’s alive.”

Rin attempted to reach him, fumbling to his knees before attempting to get to his feet. The chain linking him to the ground refused to budge. After a few seconds of struggling, he fell back against the floor breathing hard. Glaring at Kisumi, he spat, “Keep your hands off of him.”

A wild smile spread across his face as he walked to the side of the merman. “And what are you going to do about it?” The second the words left his lips, he stuck his finger into Haru’s bullet wound digging like he was trying to make his way to the other side of his thigh. Haru barely reacted to it, a sure sign this wasn’t the first time he indulged this way. Once he pulled a threatening scream from Rin he removed his hand. He popped his bloodied finger into his mouth moaning like he tasted something utterly delicious.

Tears welled at the corner of Rin’s eyes as he attempted to reach Haru again. Kisumi absentmindedly walked over to an aluminum instrument stand knowing he would never be able to break free. After a few seconds, Rin settled himself on his knees once more.

“Tell me, did you figure out my little game?” Kisumi asked, finding the nearest scalpel more interesting than the topic at hand. He held it to the light, examining its cutting edge.

“Yes,” Rin spat attempting to hold back tears. Haru was still unresponsive making him wonder if Kisumi drugged him again. Watching closely, he noted his shallow breathing. Even with Rin so close to him, he felt like he was trying to call to someone far away.

“Good,” he replied, flicking his thumb off of the blade testing its sharpness. “Did you like what I did to his friends? I killed them in record time, if you wanted to know. They made it so easy, but then I figured they would do anything for each other. Love is such an amusing emotion. Why people believe it’ll save them blows my mind. But, they don’t have anything on what I’m going to do to you. Call it a warm up if you need to. They were my first attempt at _this_.”

Rin sucked in a lungful of air watching him closely, but all Kisumi did was gesture around the room. The red head wanted to take in the surroundings but he was too afraid he would succumb to an assault. If he could avoid it, he didn’t want a surprise attack coming his way. It would be too easy for Kisumi to kill Haru or himself before help would even arrive. He decided to try and buy some time by sparking more conversation. “Did you kill that woman too?”

Kisumi froze in his tracks his back still turned. “Was spelling out my nickname with her intestines not good enough of an answer for you?” He shifted, setting down the scalpel before rotating so he could stare Rin down. “Oh, that’s right. Your silly Chief thought Haru killed that woman.” He stepped closer to the merman, running a tantalizing finger up his arm and across his bare shoulders.

Every nerve inside of Rin’s body was screaming. He chewed at his tongue to hold back another explosive demand that would only get him hurt. The way he ran his touch across Haru’s skin was transparently sensual. Already, his eyes were greedy every time they fell on him. This was overstepping the lines.

Kisumi continued, “But Haru was playing the victim the entire time.”

“They why?” Rin choked, still holding back the futile words he wanted to unleash.

“Why?” Kisumi stood tall; his menacing look caused Rin to shrivel in size. This wasn’t someone he wanted to mess around with. Something told him he was very impulsive and one wrong move could end up getting one or both of them injured or killed within seconds.

“Are you expecting me to spill my entire dastardly plot to you like all the other bad guys in cliché movies do before they get caught?” Kisumi tilted his head to the side, his eyes boring into Rin’s conscious. After a few long seconds of silence, a small smile curled the end of his lips. “Well, we certainly have all the time in the world. Even with the small clues and hints I’ve left for you up to this point, I doubt anyone would be able to find us here.”

Rin swallowed. Somehow his tactic might work. And if he could get a confession over the phone, the trial would be a lot easier if the department could get his hands on him. Never taking his eyes off of Kisumi, Rin wondered if the choice was his, if he would even let the killer walk out of here alive.

“Where to begin,” he started resting his hands on Haru’s shoulders. He longingly stared into his face. “When I first laid eyes on him, I knew this man was going to wreck my life. Sure enough, all throughout middle school he deflected my every attempt at becoming my friend. Maybe it was his merman senses, but he refused to do anything more than acknowledge me. I always felt he knew there was a darkness hiding deep within me. However, Makoto was quick to trust me. It was like the universe was shining on me. With him, I could get closer to Haru. He wouldn’t say anything to his best friend, why would he? As it turned out, I followed Makoto and him to the ocean one day. Low and behold, he wasn’t human. It was then I decided I had to make him mine. It’s taken years to iron out my technique yet alone to prepare my taste buds for him. But I knew I had to make this flawless. After multiple failed attempts, I thought of a different plan, one that would surely end with him here. Of course that failed too. I watched from the distance too afraid to show myself to him. The second he would know I was back in the area he was living in would set him off and I would lose him again.”

Rin’s eyebrows furrowed. Haru had known there wasn’t something completely normal with Kisumi. He was watching the pink haired killer too closely while at the aquarium otherwise he might’ve caught Haru’s surprised look. Consumed by his own jealousy, he must’ve missed so many small details that day.

Kisumi didn’t miss a beat. “So I waited, and while I waited, I began thinking about how to make my killings more enjoyable. I’ve been doing the same thing for almost four years now, but something was missing. Then one day, I saw you and your brute of a partner walk into that café. He couldn’t take his eyes off of you.” At last, Kisumi lifted his eyes from Haru’s face sizing Rin up. “It really pissed me off.” He meandered his way to the space existing between the two lovers. This time he turned his back to Rin and began to fiddle with Haru’s shackles. While they remained on his wrists, he unlinked the chain that connected it to the chair’s arm.

“I went home that night to think things through. Maybe, just maybe, I would be able to step up my game for this. Never have I attempted a double casualty before. The thought excited me. The night the two of you went to the beach, I followed. And the instant your lips met his I swooned. A plan started formulating in my mind, but before I could even make a proper attempt at reaching you, your goofy little officer ruined it. You ran and my Haru escaped back into the ocean. You sprinted right past me. I thought I was ruined. But, since you never met me before, I guess you never fully grasped the idea.”

The flashback socked Rin in the gut. He remembered passing a pink haired pedestrian that night. When he almost ran into him, the look on his face was not of surprise, but out of excitement. He could’ve kicked himself. Disappointed in his lack of follow through, he turned his attention back to The Fine Diner.

Kisumi lifted the first of Haru’s hands above his head, hooking it to one of two low hanging chains from the ceiling. The merman still lacked a reaction to the tampering of his body. It was difficult for Rin to watch. Repeating the process for his other arm, Kisumi continued with his story.

“I killed that woman out of excitement. She just happened to be taking a nightly stroll at the wrong time and place. I called the department hoping to get them fired up just to see what kind of game I could play. By doing so, I left a few hints behind. I wanted your fullest attention to my work, not that you lacked it in the past. This game of mine was starting and I wanted to have some fun.”

With is motives finally dawning on him, Rin met his emotionless purple stare. “You killed her out of _excitement_?” This whole time they were under the impression that The Fine Diner murdered that woman because of anger or displeasure. No wonder they never managed to close in on him, they hardly knew what kind of person he really was. They had his intentions jumbled and backwards.

Kisumi’s chilling laugh echoed through the room causing the blood to drain from Rin’s face. He watched as he walked back around Haru to the back wall where a small crank sat on the floor. Some of the chain was wound around a metal drum. Following the links, his eyes shifted to the ceiling where a set of mechanics and pulleys attached the chain there. Following the trail down to Haru’s now elevated arms, his stomach tightened into knots. Whatever Kisumi was about to do didn’t settle well.

“Yes, Rin. Out of pleasure.” He turned the crank causing everything to ease into motion. The chain began to wind its way around the drum, slowly hoisting Haru to his feet. Even through this, he hardly moved. Rin could’ve sworn he heard a groan over the heavy clicking. It was so hard to tell. His head dropped forward again into what Rin figured would be a more naturally comfortable position. Contemplating calling out his name, Rin wanted some sort of proof he wasn’t too far gone already. Once Haru was in a position where Kisumi felt it was necessary to stop, he rejoined the two lovers standing uncomfortably close to Haru.

Rin choked out his words feeling the time washing away. “But the blackmail and Haru.” He bit his tongue as Kisumi ran his hands across Haru’s hips coming too close to the hem of his sweatpants. The look on his face is what really set Rin off, the simple fact that he was enjoying every ounce of this. It wasn’t human.

“It was easy enough to get a picture when your partner was so obvious on his actions. I just needed him at the aquarium. One night would’ve sealed his fate if it weren’t for you and your department butting in. Every time I turned around you would be there. I made two attempts, and when he disappeared with you on the second, I knew I had to take an appropriate action to alleviate any doubt.”

Kisumi eyed Rin, the smile on his face growing even more. He stepped away from Haru as a strange noise filled the air. Rin couldn’t help but eye the space looking for the source. The anxiety it was causing was making him sick. Just as his eyes fell on a strange nozzle protruding from the wall directly to the left of Haru, his stomach dropped. A fine mist began shooting out of the small opening. The stream was barely powerful enough to reach Haru, but the second the vapor came in contact with his skin, he screamed. Instantly he was alive again fighting in every way his confined body could in an attempt to get away from the moisture.

Rin was in a full-blooded panic. As Haru was yelling, he fought against his own shackles attempting to reach him. The metal cut at his wrists, but he pushed through the pain. He needed to get to Haru to stop whatever was causing him that much suffering. It was an absolute must. After a few seconds of sheer chaos, the stream stopped. Through his teary eyes, Rin noticed a few scales on Haru’s hips that partially erupted. Anger quickly overpowered his distress.

“Humans are so…arbitrary.”

“You bastard,” Rin hissed. He laughed in reply stepping toward Haru. The merman’s body was noticeably shaking, his breathing extremely heavy. But with his head still hanging low, Rin couldn’t tell what sort of thoughts and emotions were running through his head.

“Do you like my sedative? I thought of this brilliant idea years ago. Turns out it’s more effective than I ever thought it would be. Altering the composition of saltwater into a fine mist and lightly dousing him in it, I still get his transformation side effects all while keeping him on two legs.”

“You _sick motherfu_ – ”

“Ah, ah, ah, Rin. Watch your tongue. You don’t want something bad to happen, do you?” Kisumi ran his hands past the waistline of Haru’s sweatpants. Rin froze. Haru grunted in protest, but with his arms above his head, his body slightly suspended off the ground, and the lack of strength to fight, there wasn’t much he could do to prevent Kisumi from wrecking havoc on his body consequently forcing Rin into a sickening panic attack. Just how far would he go? Just how much would he take from them? Wishing his partner would bust down the door any moment, Rin chewed at his cheek desperately hoping someone would stop him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is the moment where I'm going to pre-warn you to skip the next chapter when I post it. You're not missing anything (because I shoved all of the necessary information in this one). If you decide to continue, you're reading at your own risk. That is all.
> 
> Thank you again soooo much and have a wonderful day!!! :)


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Cannibalism/rape/non-con/graphic descriptions of violence/etc. Please read at your own risk.  
> In fact, maybe not read this at all.
> 
> Instead, go watch Free! Dive to the Future! God damn, episode one had me nearly crying. It was fucking good. Go do that instead. Just leave this chapter behind and read chapter 30 when I post it. Have a wonderful (almost) weekend! :)

His body was shaking. His fists were clenched so tightly he couldn’t feel his arms. He choked back a scream. He was incredibly helpless. Nothing he could do would prevent Kisumi from inflicting any sort of pain or inappropriate contact on Haru. It would take the department a decent amount of time before they could organize their forces. But he would give his own life if they would show up immediately. The tears began to form at the corners of his eyes as he forced his gaze to the floor.

“I want you to beg for me to stop.” Kisumi’s snake-like, devious voice tickled Rin’s ear even though some distance separated them. He couldn’t bear to watch, but he knew where those crafty hands were touching. The thought burned at his retinas. He swallowed the vomit quickly rising to his mouth.

“Stop-it,” Haru’s soft voice echoed throughout the room.

Rin’s heart stopped beating. He couldn’t help but look at the man who voiced those words. Haru’s head was still low, but Rin could tell he was trying to combat Kisumi’s advances. By chancing a peek, Rin got the direct look of what exactly Kisumi was doing. Sure enough, he had Haru’s sweatpants half way down his thighs with everything exposed. Savoring every second, Kisumi was rubbing Haru’s partially erected cock. All the while, looking innocent while standing directly behind him with his free hand compulsively rubbing the still partially protruding scales dotting his hip. Eyes closed, his mouth was touching his shoulder, almost like he was breathing Haru in. However, the merman’s words didn’t faze him. Instead of causing Kisumi to step back out of surprise, his broken plea acted like a torrent. Slipping a free hand back along his body, Rin tore his eyes away from Kisumi and Haru again.

Haru gasped, as Rin was sure Kisumi inserted his finger or two up his ass. Rin could hear the merman desperately trying to escape. His senses and emotions were going haywire. Biting his lip to the point of it bleeding, Rin couldn’t hold it back any longer.

“Stop!” Rin screamed. His voice cut his throat as his tears finally overflowed. “Stop it, _please_!”

Kisumi’s laugh echoed around the room. Rin’s body sunk so low in defeat his face came in contact with the blood covered, concrete floor. His sobs were expelled so violently, they splattered the red liquid across the ground.

“Stop…” he could hardly say the necessary words. There he remained for a few minutes, mindful of the strange moans escaping Kisumi’s lips and the grunts of protest from Haru. This wasn’t a nightmare that would easily be forgotten. Begging to wake up, pleading for this to be in his head, Rin cried. Even with his eyes screwed shut he could picture everything. So instead he watched his tears meld with Haru’s already shed blood until the noises became a distant thought. How long he remained like that, he couldn’t remember. But he stayed until a hand forcefully grasped his red hair pulling him away from the ground.

Foreign lips pressed heavily against his own. Rin’s eyes opened wide as Kisumi’s tongue entered the small crevice his mouth created from the distress. He tried to back away, but could only feel the thickened liquid being driven into his mouth. The second Kisumi broke free the vomit Rin was holding back erupted. With nothing in his stomach, Rin’s saliva mixed with the strange fluid. Blurry eyed and woozy, Rin watched the gooey mess drip from his mouth. It wasn’t until Kisumi chuckled when he realized he forced an entire load of Haru’s cum practically down his throat.

Dry-heaving with the thought, Rin placed his forehead against the concrete as another scream coupled with another sob unleashed from his lungs. This was his breaking point. He couldn’t stand to witness anything else happen to Haru. Being the sole audience to the catastrophe unveiling before him, the sense of utter helplessness paired with worthlessness, it all consumed him. It was at that moment Rin almost wished for death. His soul reached out to the previous victims. How easy it was to look at their mangled bodies and be thankful it wasn’t someone they knew or someone they loved. Understanding the empathy wasn’t quite attainable until now.

Once his outburst calmed enough for him to hear over the sound of his own voice did Rin realize how quiet it had gotten. With his breath still catching and his diaphragm still contracting in random bursts, he tried to calm his nerves enough to brave another look. Before he could lift his head, Kisumi’s voice calmly filled the room.

“It’s almost comical how the body’s taste changes after an orgasm. I didn’t learn that until I was months into killing men. I would get my own enjoyment out of their drugged bodies, but it never felt satisfying to the taste buds. Something was missing. Like a seasoning on a bland meal.”

Rin heard the sound of metal scraping against concrete, which he attributed to a chair sliding across the rough surface. Out of the corner of his eyes he watched Kisumi’s boots pass his field of vision. Without him touching his body, the red head could feel his presence hovering just above him. His breathing picked up generating his fight or flight reflexes. Would he do the same thing to him as he did to Haru?

Kisumi’s breath tickled his neck. “I can feel your pulse from here.” Rin instinctively shied away as an arm wrapped around his head securing it into place. Another swiftly ripped at his shirt exposing the skin between his neck and his shoulder. All he could feel was agonizing pain as Kisumi’s teeth sunk into his soft flesh. Crying out in misery, Rin struggled to free himself. Just as quickly as he appeared, the infamous Diner released him pulling a large chunk of tissue with his absence. Rin could feel the blood pouring out of his new wound soaking through his shirt and jacket, dripping to the floor. The pain was intolerable. Half in shock, Rin’s body began shaking uncontrollably from the sight. How long would he last while losing this much blood? Through his cries, the sound managed to reach his ears. Unadulterated chewing.

With his mouth still full, Kisumi swooned, “Whoever said you shouldn’t eat dessert before your meal was a cruel human being.”

Rin partially collapsed with the overwhelming pain. His whole body was pulsing to his rapid heartbeat. There was so much blood. He could hear the crimson liquid trickling down a drain nearby, but his vision was blurring and it took an immense amount of concentration to focus on anything but the floor below him. Forcing his gaze, his eyes fell on Kisumi who was now eyeing Haruka.

“Don’t– ” Rin breathed as Kisumi’s teeth sunk into the same spot he left his mark a few days ago. Blood squirted from the force of his jaw immediately tainting Haru’s bare skin. The squishing sound was unreal. Haru’s screams overcame Rin’s senses blocking out all of the existing noises. He couldn’t remove his eyes from the fountain of blood currently gushing out of the merman’s wound.

Kisumi careened around the room while licking his lips, smearing the red liquid over his face. The noises coming from him mimicked that of an orgasm. After a few laps, he stopped behind Haru once more grabbing hold of his hips.

“It should be a crime to taste like you,” he hissed, brushing his lips down his side leaving a red trail as he went. “You were well worth the wait and tremendous amount of patience I had to endure.”

Haru shied away from Kisumi’s touch. Rin was partially glad he was still moving after the immense amount of blood loss, but he knew no amount of struggling would allow his escape. The inevitable was coming as he observed Kisumi’s odd behavior. As soon as he found the meatiest spot on Haru’s hip, he took another bite. A few of his scales went with his flesh this time as Haru’s screams chilled Rin to his bones.

Breaths coming in short, shallow bursts, Rin attempted to call out. He tried to beg for Kisumi to stop, to say anything at all. Nothing but wheezes passed his lips. Tears were streaming down his cheeks mixing with the other fluids on the concrete. He just wanted this to end.

A heavy metallic nock resonated around the room. It was as if time stopped. Kisumi stepped away from Haru, grabbed a towel lazily thrown over the chair now sitting near the back of the room, the same chair Haru used to be sitting in. The Fine Diner began to dab at his messy face. However, the door opened on its own without a verbal consent. Rin tried to see who entered. He vaguely could identify defining features that reminded him of the thief that shoved him off of the cliff days ago. With the blood loss, his mind was as blurry as his vision. Thankfully, their voices were loud and clear.

“Sir, we have a problem.” There was no fear in the thief’s tone. With those words, Rin confirmed his hunch. He recognized the voice.

Kisumi’s face turned murderous. “What?”

“Someone spotted the Special Assault Team assembling outside the building, sir”

As the message was relayed, Kisumi’s poise became something unusual. Partially hunched over, his emotionless eyes bored deep into the thief possibly attempting to thwart any lies or betrayal. The man stood his ground, eyes never leaving The Fine Diner.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, sir.”

Kisumi’s glare shifted to Rin. Every viable ounce of his body was lit on fire. This wasn’t an ordinary look. His entire being was telling him to run and to never look back. As if he already knew, Kisumi stepped toward the red head.

“And how do you think they managed to find us?” The question wasn’t directed at anyone in particular, but once his underling never answered the question, Rin figured Kisumi was asking him personally.

Tightening his lips into a thin line, Rin held his breath. Kisumi’s hand outstretched toward him. It was nearly impossible to remain still, but even the slightest movement caused him immeasurable pain. The second the Diner’s fingers touched his wounded shoulder, Rin jerked yelling in the process. Using the impairment to act, Kisumi threw himself on top of him, pinning Rin to the ground like he was nothing. It took Kisumi a few seconds to give him a full pat down. Sure enough, his phone was detected and removed from his pocket.

Releasing Rin and standing back to his full height, Kisumi stared at the object like he never laid eyes on such a device. His finger tapped what Rin figured was the end button for the phone call. An eerie silence filled the room. No one moved. No one breathed.

The phone hit the ground shattering into pieces. Kisumi grabbed his man by the front of his shirt getting inches from his face. “Gather half of the men and send them to stop them.” He shoved the thief out of the room. “You get me my goddamn truck, we’re loading up and leaving.”

“Yessir.” His words slurred as hurried footsteps signaled his retreat.

Rin breathed. Sousuke and Seijuro had found them. They were here. This wasn’t for nothing. Kisumi’s hair had fallen over his face, but what gathered Rin’s attention was the small chuckle coming from the back of his throat. That momentary feeling of victory was snatched in a single moment.

Kisumi pulled a gun from the back of his waistline and pointed it straight at Rin’s head. His words were so calm they caused all of Rin’s hair to stand up on edge.

“Excess baggage while moving can be a real hindrance.”

Defenseless and at point blank range, Rin stared into the barrel of his pistol fearing death. No moment in his life caused him to feel so terrified for something entirely out of his control. If Kisumi managed to escape before the Special Assault Team could reach them, then this ordeal really was for nothing. Haru would be lost, he would be dead, and The Fine Diner would still be at large.

His small chuckle turned into a petty laugh. Rin held his breath. He watched Kisumi’s gun bobble with his lack of sanity. He couldn’t find one thing humorous at a time like this.

“I played you for a fool, Matsuoka. And here you are outsmarting me. For the very first time, someone _finally_ made this game interesting!” His grip slacked as the gun rotated around his trigger finger. Stepping forward, Kisumi’s laugh subsided but an appealing smile remained saturated on his lips. Rin’s breathing picked up as he squatted before him. The cold metal of the pistol came in contact with his forehead.

“You have thirty seconds to give me a reasonable excuse not to kill you right now.”

Attempting to swallow the lump in his throat, Rin opened his mouth. Before he could get in a word, Kisumi swung the gun around and fired haphazardly. The bullet missed Haru by inches, imbedding itself deep into the concrete wall.

“Yes, this is a loaded gun, I thought I might want to confirm that small bit of information,” cooed Kisumi unaware or uncaring of the devastation his actions about caused. His gun was placed against Rin’s forehead once more. The hot metal burned his skin.

“If you let me live, I swear to god I will not stop hunting you. Our game wouldn’t have to end here.”

Kisumi’s smile grew intensely. “ _Our game…_ ” he relaxed his grip again. “Not bad, Rin. Props for your negotiation abilities.” He stood tall and took a few steps away from him, admiring the weapon in his hand. “But that isn’t good enough. Our game ends here. It was fun, a thrill of a lifetime if I could say so myself. But to succeed in life you must know when to give up on a senseless dream and when to get rid of pesky flies that have seen to much.”

Kisumi pivoted on his heels, whipping his gun back into the red head’s face. Rin’s body froze unsure of what he could possibly do to stop him. There was nothing. No wall to crouch behind, no weapon of his own to fire before his finger could squeeze the trigger. He couldn’t pull his gaze away from the black machinery that was moments away from ending his life.

The sound of a gun firing filled the room followed in quick succession with a second. Rin couldn’t tear his eyes away. He was certain this was going to be the end. More blood filled the room as Sousuke’s two shots imbedded themselves into Kisumi’s dominant shoulder and thigh. He hit the floor laughing. Grabbing the gun out of his right hand with his left, he attempted to fire back at Sousuke. The officer unloaded another bullet into his second shoulder causing Kisumi to finally drop his weapon. Seijuro was in the door in seconds checking the room for another perpetrator. With a nod, he belted his own gun and ran to Kisumi. Kicking his discarded weapon far away from his reach, the Chief had him pinned and cuffed in seconds. More men filled the room.

Sousuke appeared at Rin’s side immediately. With a shaking hand, he holstered his own gun. Breathing out steadily to calm his nerves, he took in the full sight of his partner.

“Sorry it took so long,” was all he could say as he attempted to free him of the shackles awkwardly securing him to the floor. A few others began working on detaching Haru from the ceiling. At last this nightmare was over.

As soon as they had Haru on the ground, Rin burst into tears out of relief causing Sousuke to stop afraid he had hurt him in some way. A few medics came to their side. Someone must’ve radioed the clear signal. After a few checks and a temporary patch of his oozing shoulder, they reassured him he would be okay. Hoisting him into to a stretcher, they began to rush him out of the room. Sousuke remained at his side, his hand firm on his arm. More medical professionals crossed their path drawing Rin’s eye. Haru was still inside the room. With him being in an obviously worse state, wouldn’t it be impertinent to rush him to the hospital first? Craning his neck to get one last look, his body went numb.

Within the small panic developing inside the concrete room, his eyes fell on the distinctive bobbing attributed only to CPR as someone fought to restart Haru’s heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe not as bad as I thought??? Not great either???
> 
> And just because it was my last chance at a cliffhanger (and maybe you shouldn't have read it) YOU'RE FUCKING WELCOME. Until next chapter, which happens to be the last! :D


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick moment of your time. THANK YOU FOR READING. <3 You have all been amazing.  
> So, without another word (haha), here's the last chapter!!
> 
>  
> 
> ...or is it???

Rin tapped his pencil incessantly against the wood of his desk. His temple rested in his hand with his elbow propped on the armrest of his leather swivel chair. As per usual since the events unfolded weeks ago, his monitor was black with idleness. The rest of the office went on with their daily tasks creating a hum to the air. They had a few new cases that created a small stack of files on the edge of Sousuke’s desk. They patiently waited on Rin. His mind wasn’t in the work. Kisumi’s trial was scheduled to begin at the end of summer. This was the part of police work he hated the most. After everything was said and done, The Fine Diner would be put in jail. An end for a coward’s prospective. Yes, he would rot behind those bars. But something told Rin he wouldn’t be suffering in the slightest after seeing the smile smeared across his face while Seijuro drug him out of the small concrete room weeks before.

The pencil tapping suddenly came to a halt. Rin’s fingers tightened in his hair as that smile burned in his mind. It was laughing at him, mocking him, like this game of his wasn’t quite over. Hadn’t Kisumi taken enough? The intense psychological exams he endured over the last few weeks were weighing heavily on his mind. Seijuro reassured the doctors Rin would pull through. He always bounced back and seemed to heal better with a busy mind. With their nod of approval days later, Rin was back to work. It was something he always looked forward to, and it was something of a rarity when he took time off. But since his return, he couldn’t bear to open the new files. The thought of a starting another daunting task that would end like this one was nearly crippling. His eyes drifted around the room. The bulletin board where all of the Diner leads used to be hanging was cleared off for the first time in years. Momo and Ai, who were presently using rubber bands to launch balled up pieces of paper across the room at each other, were released from the hospital not long after Rin. However, due to his mental state, they returned to work before him.

They didn’t notice him quietly watching. Rin used to start the wars in their department attributing his reasoning to the simple fact that everyone was being too serious. A near nostalgic feeling depressed his mood further. Maybe things would never be the same.

“That’s enough,” Sousuke patronized, carefully placing a cup of coffee on the edge of Rin’s desk. Ai squeaked with fear as Momo stuck his tongue out at his superior. Regardless of their actions, the room fell quiet. With a sigh, Sousuke sat in his own chair, which happened to live next to Rin’s. His gaze hovered on his friend for a moment too long before staring at the mug clutched in his own hand. The steam fogged his glasses.

“I know this coffee tastes like ass, but sometimes when your world feels like it’s crumbling around you, a small taste of something that will always remain the same is worth its weight in gold.”

Rin’s dull look met his teal gaze as Sousuke took a swallow. He almost spit out his drink from the lack of response.

He smiled. “Don’t look so excited or anything.”

Seijuro rounded the corner. Momo and Ai stiffened, suddenly very interested in their work. Sousuke rotated his chair to get a better view of their boss. He cleared his throat announcing his obvious entrance.

“Rin, the hospital called about an hour ago.”

He held his breath. _Haru_. Of course he hadn’t forgotten. Rin had to force his mind to think of anything else. That night he watched, desperate to reach him in any possible way, as they wheeled him out of the concrete room away from the chaos unfolding around the merman. Sousuke refused to budge on the decision, unsure if his partner could handle the potential ending if the best efforts of the medical staff failed. He was thrashing, screaming, and begging in any means necessary to stay. By doing so, he lost a lot more blood than expected. Without Sousuke’s unremitting stubbornness, Rin could’ve easily died that night too.

The news of his survival made it his ears much later. Three days the immeasurable torture of the unknown clawed at his mind. Confined to his hospital bed, there was nothing to do but worry. He couldn’t sleep, hardly ate, and the words of Kisumi’s condition seemed to pass through his ears without a second thought. He knew he lived, but the details were amiss.

“This week they’ve made significant progress. With his wounds healing nicely, his broken ribs in a less painful state, and his mind more at ease, the doctor gave him the green light. He’s going to be released this afternoon.”

Rin’s eyes immediately darted to the clock hanging on the wall. It was almost going on three o’clock. Panicked, he turned his attention back to Seijuro. The last thing he wanted was to miss his discharge. After all, he visited him everyday, tracking his progress firsthand. He watched as the Chief tossed Sousuke the keys to the patrol vehicle. Catching them with ease, Rin’s partner gave him a quizzical look.

“Make sure he gets there safely. I already went ahead and packed lunch so there won’t be any need to stop along the way. If you leave now, I’m sure you’ll get there in time.”

Rin bolted out of his seat nearly spilling the coffee Sousuke gave him. He was at a loss for words. The amount of gratitude he felt could never come across sincere enough in a few syllables. Approaching Seijuro, his boss put a hand on his shoulder clasping it tightly. With a hearty smile, he pulled Rin into a hug. With a final glance directed at Sousuke, they were out the door.

 

* * *

 

Spring was definitely present now. The air was warmer, the sky brighter, and all of the cherry blossom trees were in bloom. That day, the warm breeze floated idly throughout the town catching the petals and throwing them into the air. It was as if it was snowing pink flakes outside. Practically vibrating in anticipation, Rin couldn’t find the words to say. The drive to the hospital was rather quiet. Sousuke found the closest parking spot to the outpatient exit he could find and left the vehicle with Rin hot on his heels. He paused suddenly, catching Sousuke by surprise. They stood there staring at each other for a few moments.

“Rin?”

Their gazes met. “I just wanted to tell you how thankful I am of everything you did for me, for us really. I know what I did was stupid and it put my life at a much larger risk than I anticipated, but I’m glad you found the courage to step up and take action.”

Sousuke breathed out a smile. “It wasn’t like you gave me much of a choice. Honestly, your screams where unbearable. We had the Special Assault Team assembled in half the time thanks to that phone call.”

Rin shook his head as a smile appeared on his face. It felt like it had been ages since one crossed his lips. “I still can’t believe they didn’t find my phone.”

“Sheer dumb luck. And if you ever think about doing that again, acting on your stupid, mid-panic thoughts without forming a solid plan, I’m going to kick your ass,” Sousuke snapped, crossing his arms over his chest. He meant it too.

Seijuro even sat Rin down his first day back at work. He ripped him a new asshole for the last minute stunt he pulled on the street. His plan lacked a solid backbone. It easily could’ve been thwarted and two innocent lives could’ve been lost. One simple act of luck was nothing to get cocky about. Being lucky once usually meant you ended face down in the gutter if a second attempt of acting on that whim was made. His Chief spelled it out clearly; clearly enough Rin thought he was about to get fired.

“I promise I won’t. It was incredibly reckless.” Rin put his hands up in a surrender position but gave his partner his puppy dog eyes. Sousuke snorted before his attention was drawn elsewhere.

He elbowed Rin’s arm gesturing toward the automatic doors to the hospital. Rin’s eyes fell on the two members exiting the building, one pushing the wheelchair and the occupant. His heart skipped a beat. Without a second hesitation Rin was running. With the help of the nurse wheeling him out of the hospital, Haru slowly got to his feet. A smile broadened his lips as Rin scooped him up and swung him around. With the gentle dismount, their lips met. Rin never wanted to break away. He never wanted those lips to kiss another’s. He never wanted to be apart from Haru like this again.

The nurse cleared his throat. “Just please be careful. He needs to make it to his psychological exam this evening in one piece.”

Rin’s face turned a wild shade of red. “Yes, sir.” Haru kissed his cheek as the nurse turned away. Interlacing his fingers with his lovers, Haru pulled him into a hug.

“ _Thank you_.”

His eyes filled with tears from Haru’s sentimental words. Maybe he could, with a few syllables, allow someone to fully understand just how appreciative he was.

Taking a hint from the nurse, Rin cleared his own throat. “Sousuke is waiting by the car. Seijuro packed us lunch. I thought it would be nice to sit somewhere peaceful for a bit. You know, to get some fresh air.”

Haru’s smile only grew as they walked back to the patrol car. Refusing to be further than an arm’s reach, Rin sat in the back and pointed Sousuke in the direction of his favorite place to go during this time of year. It would be perfect. His dream from the start was to share this moment with Haru. Now more than ever, he felt incredibly grateful he was even given this opportunity with everything that happened. It didn’t take them long to reach the riverbank. Just as Rin hoped, the cherry blossom trees dumped a substantial amount of petals already. Due to the time hardly anyone was around.

After Sousuke insistency about staying behind, they carefully exited the car. Rin led Haru with a picnic basket in hand down the winding path that followed the river. The sidewalk was lined with cherry blossom trees. With the sun passing through their flowers, it cast a beautiful pinkish hue across the ground. Adding to the already fallen petals, it was like a dream. Rin couldn’t keep his eyes away from the scenery. Haru couldn’t take his eyes off of Rin. After finding what he figured would be the perfect spot for a picnic, Rin shook the small blanket a few times to get the wrinkles out before lying it on the pink grass. Helping Haru to the ground, he began unloading the food Seijuro packed. When he got to the cake his face turned sour.

Haru smiled, lied back, closed his eyes, and tucked his hands under his head breathing in the spring. Rin couldn’t help but watch as he quietly lay there. He felt guilty enough not to disturb him, so instead he joined him. With the warm breeze and the birds chirping, it was all too easy to fall asleep. After five long years, he finally felt at peace.

“You know, my mother was like me.” Haru’s words chilled the air.

Their previous conversation the night Kisumi blackmailed him came flooding back. It churned his empty stomach. Rin looked at Haru apprehensively unsure if he really wanted to unveil the horrors of his past. The opportunity to grow and learn more about each other existed only because the medics saved Haru’s life. It was a blessing in its own way now that the initial nightmare was over. Rin didn’t want to push Haru even though his doctors had specifically told him that talking about the events that night would act as a way to cope. Healing would take time, something they have been selflessly granted.

“Haru…” The red head warranted. The pent up anxiety was starting to get to him. The need to know more existed too, but the pain that this conversation could cause heavily outweighed it.

Haru turned his head to give him a calming smile. His blue eyes shone it the golden sunlight as if Rin was staring into the ocean at twilight. His heart ached but if Haru was ready, then he would be more than willing to listen.

“My father was like you. They met on the beach on an afternoon not unlike this one. At least that’s what I’ve been told.” Haru looked up at the branches of the cherry blossom trees. Their pink petals floated to the ground around the two of them. He reached his hand up to the branches as a far off look glazed his eyes. Rin watched in near admiration, but he couldn’t get his mind off of how beautiful he looked in the afternoon sun.

“That day changed my life. My mom had taken me to the ocean for a swim. The weather had changed from warm to blistery. After all, it was nearing the end of autumn. My dad always kept a watchful eye on us, patiently waiting on the beach for us to return. We knew there were a few boats out to sea that day, but nothing we couldn’t handle. I guess he saw the large fishing craft undock from the port and went to warn us. My mom and I got tangled in his fishing net. She was only trying to protect me. By the time my father could reach the boat, they had pulled us onto their deck. Things got…hostile. They didn’t want to give us up since we were considered a million dollar catch. My dad protested. Somehow I was pushed overboard in the scuffle. By the time I reached the shore, I heard the news.”

Rin found swallowing difficult with his mouth turning overly dry. He knew a few fishermen, his dad included, and he knew how easily it would seem to be overcome with greed. Haru was incredibly unique, and that trait of being a merman blending in with the human world made him very valuable to them, to anyone really.

“I’m sorry,” Rin sighed. He knew the pain caused from loss too well. His own father died in a fishing accident when he was young. His mom said his boat capsized in a storm, but a small part of him wondered if he was there that day they pulled Haru from the ocean.

“I just wanted you to know that I trust you fully. It was a mistake thinking you couldn’t help me. I was under the impression my past was my own business and that I didn’t need to involve you in my problems. Kisumi always gave me a strange feeling, even in middle school. But I guess when someone’s attempting to size you up to eat, it rubs off the wrong way.”

Rin reached his hand out for Haru’s. He pulled his nearest hand from behind his head and laced his fingers with his. Understanding without judging was something commonly overlooked. In the same situation, Rin was sure he’d feel just like Haru, cornered and trapped. It was hard to find the words to return his feelings, but Rin tried to smile his way through it. He was overcome with joy and elated he heard those words coming from someone he could spend the rest of his life with.

Haru continued, “It’s hard to place a lot of trust on people you’ve just met, even though it feels like I’ve known you for ages. I trust you, and you didn’t need to prove it by any means. But you did…and you refused to give up on me when I thought there was nothing to do but give up.”

“Haru– ” Rin began, but was cut off immediately.

“If I have to prove it to you, I will. But I want you to know that I want to reciprocate the same level of trust you’ve transparently shown me.” Their eyes met. “If you’ll let me.”

Rin sat up instantly. Tears began welling at the corner of his red eyes and his bottom lip started to tremble. Alarmed, Haru slowly sat up too reaching a hand out to comfort Rin. Before he could place a finger on him, the red head embraced his lover squeezing him until the feeling of sorrow dissipated. Their lips met again, and they kissed until Rin needed to break for air. He could curse Haru’s knack for holding his breath, but he decided to wait for a more appropriate time. When their eyes met again, a level of complete understanding passed between them.

These feelings weren’t temporary. They had each other to lean on when the other needed it. By all accounts, they were able to see another day. The road may be bumpy ahead but they wouldn’t have to face it alone. Rin squeezed Haru’s hand as the wind tousled the overhead branches creating a swirling disarray of pink petals around them. He wouldn’t trade the world for this moment, and knowing he would have many more with Haru by his side allowed his heartfelt smile to stretch from ear to ear.

“I love you, Haru.”

“I love you too, Rin.”

 

 

The End?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **DISCLAIMER** I had zero knowledge of the Mook prior to this work's completion. ._. Zero. The curse of jumping headfirst into a fandom you know little about. Of course I've enlightened myself since then and felt the need to add this here. Scary how the mind works sometimes.
> 
> ~  
> Kisumi lived. Why? Because you've all driven me to start a goddamn sequel, motherfuckers.  
> Unfortunately, I hit a writer's block one chapter in (god almighty it's unceasing), so it may be a while before I post anything again. Especially if I plan on posting in the same sort of frequency. *sobs*
> 
> ~  
> As promised, I had also started a new fic! This one takes us back into a different age of swordsmanship and tyranny. >:D I can only hope I'll finish that as well. Regardless, I've got a lot more to write so I hope to see you when I begin posting again!!
> 
> Thanks again for all of your support and beautiful comments. <3 It's been a wonderful journey and I'm glad I could share it with all of you. :)


End file.
